Unblossomed
by Celes Chere
Summary: The summer after the events in FFIV: The After Years, Porom, Palom and Leonora are settling into their new lives and responsibilities in Mysidia. The return of the crystals to their rightful place has ushered a new era of peace upon the world, but chaos blooms within Porom's heart when she realizes she has fallen in love with the one person forbidden to her. Porom X Leonora, Yuri
1. 1: To Sprout

_Unblossomed_

By: Celes Chere

(Original characters: SquareEnix)

1: To Sprout

"Lady Porom! If you don't hurry up, the water will get cold!"

"R-Right!" Porom called back, biting her lip and releasing a silent scream as she spun away from her closed bedroom door, where the disembodied voice that belonged to one of the house fellow mages had been haunting her to get in the bath for nearly a half-hour now. She was _way_ behind schedule and had started off her day on the wrong foot by sleeping through her alarm, something she hadn't done since she was a little kid. Everything only had escalated from there – she had been forced to skip breakfast, race downstairs to administer final exams in half-wrinkled robes that she had pulled from the floor and had barely passed the sniff test, endure the snickers and judgmental stares from her students who were clearly _thrilled_ about being locked inside on a perfect, sunny day, and finally, had to make an emergency stop at the infirmary after one of her lower-level students somehow managed to light himself on fire. And it was not just any fire, mind you – but a strain of flame that was ceaseless and undying, no matter how many Blizzard and Blizzara spells were cast upon him as a countermeasure by his classmates before Porom had given up and hauled him away.

Once the final exams had been collected, and the students dismissed for the summer semester, Porom had dragged her already-exhausted behind back upstairs to her room, which she was ashamed to admit had somehow become even worse since her last cleaning job just the previous week. Clothes were strewn everywhere, towers of books long-collapsed scattered on the desk and floor, and the waste basket was filled with a fifty-fifty mix of crumpled up papers and apple cores that were starting to turn. When Porom collapsed on the edge of her bed to catch a breather, she heard a flutter of misplaced papers suddenly rain to the floor, and lowered her head to her hands, uttering a groan.

Those were most likely her notes from the last village town hall, all meticulously documented and filed in a specific order from least-pressing, easy to resolve concerns (a more excessive than usual rainy season had led to the northwestern pond flooding several homes and streets), to more complex problems (a family of aggressive Zuus had begun nesting in one of the nearby forests and had taken to dive-bombing hunters who got within even a breathing radius).

But the part that was stressing her the most about the state of the room was that the mess was multiplied by two – because somehow, Porom's garbage had managed to also steadily migrate to her roommate's side, taking over what was once a pristine desk and a carefully-made bed-turned-overflow wardrobe. To Porom, it was one thing to be a menace to yourself – as long as your lifestyle or filthy habits were yours alone and didn't impact anyone else, more power to you. Perhaps the old, pre-village head Porom would have taken issue with even going that far, but during these last few weeks, she had found that she needed to quickly adapt to lower and lower standards of existence to keep herself from going insane.

But to be a burden on others… _ugh_ , it sent her into hives just thinking about the look of disgust that would be painted on Leonora's face when she walked through the door and saw all this.

And unfortunately, that moment was forthcoming – Palom and Leonora were due home at any hour – last she had heard, they were dropping off the airship they had borrowed at Baron's shipyard and would be taking the Devil's Road home – she had no way of knowing if they were planning on visiting Prince Ceodore or anyone else before making the last leg of their journey, which meant time was of the essence.

That had been her crisis of conscious when the mage's final warning came about the bath – did she tear through the room like Hurricane Porom to stuff away as much of the mess as she could and inconvenience someone to draw her a bath later, or did she just take care of business now and hope the gods of time were on her side so that she could come back refreshed, revitalized and tackle her problems with a semblance of logic? She wanted to be in a good state of mind when Leonora and Palom came back – she had missed them terribly, even more than she thought she would have – life had been really lonely with both of them absent from the tower for the first time since war had ended.

An annoying itch suddenly seized hold of her scalp, and as Porom dragged her nails around her greasy hair, she visibly shuddered.

Choice made – the bath had definitely won out. She couldn't bring herself to welcome them home like this; the least she could do was at least pretend on the outside that she had her life under control.

After she had gathered some clean clothes (taken from Leonora's bed – progress was already being made!), she raced up the stairs to the next level of the tower, which was primarily used as a bathing hall. Ever since she could remember, the tower's residents had utilized an orderly bathing schedule – men and woman switched off use of the hall every other day, and hot water pours began at seven AM sharp and were maintained throughout the morning by whichever black mage was assigned to that chore for the week. But it was rare that the assignee didn't have a class or some other occupation within the tower to tend to later that morning, so latecomers were usually gifted with cold water and a hard lesson learned to get there earlier, next time.

In the private entryway of the chamber that held the baths, Porom kicked off her pink leather sandals, sliding them into a cubby and bitterly noting that there were no other shoes to be found. She then slipped out of her robes, depositing them into a basket above the cubby with her clean clothes and tugging the ribbon out of her hair that had been keeping it out of her face for the morning's misadventures. Snagging a clean towel off of a hook, she dashed into the bathing area, a sandstone-lined chamber that graduated to a sunken, tiled depression that made up the bath proper. Depositing the towel on the floor, she dipped a toe inside, bracing herself for the worst.

 _…Praise the Gods! Warm water!_

Crookedly grinning to herself, she slid the rest of the way beneath the water, her eyes rolling in the back of her head as her legs, then stomach, then chest, and finally the curve of her shoulders became embraced in the soothing warmth of mineral spring waters some blessed soul harvested and filled the bath with every day.

She could feel the tension of the hectic morning melting away from her muscles, a gentle fog ushering into her brain that temporarily obscured view of her mental ever-growing to-do list. Since she was alone, she allowed herself the small pleasure of audibly groaning in relief, her hair snaking around her in silken ribbons of pink as she sank yet lower. The freshly-polished full-length windows that made up the northernmost wall of the bath were ablaze with sunbeams, with nary a cloud to be seen – they danced over Porom's skin, giving her an ethereal glow, and made the surface of the water sparkle like a spray of diamonds.

 _Time to restart the clock_ , Porom thought, closing her eyes. _This day can still be salvaged. Palom will be home soon, and he'll be able to pick up the work I've fallen behind on. Classes are over for the summer – one less thing I'll have to deal with once I've finished grading the exams. And maybe I'll ask one of the maids to help me clean the bedroom – Palom never has any shame about the filth they must find in his room – why should I be embarrassed?_

But the thought of giving someone extra chores just because she couldn't get her act together still made even relaxed Porom's skin crawl. She felt like someone was being punished because of her incompetence, and that ultimately, it would all come back on her ten-fold. As much as she loved her brother (that was, when he was being lovable), she didn't much love anyone being able to compare her to him in any capacity. He was fury, she was grace. He was messy, she was neat ( _usually_ ). He was the frenzied genius, she was the thoughtful strategist. He thrived on chaos and disruption, and she flourished within order and regulation. That was how it had been the entire twenty-two years they had been occupying this planet, and after surviving two galaxy-reaching wars and countless, more-localized conflicts just between the two of them, they had begrudgingly settled into and accepted their roles as total opposites.

Yes, she didn't appreciate the way Palom's devil-may-care attitude permeated all aspects his life, and she knew he certainly thought she was too conservative, too risk-averse, too damn _boring_ – but they had finally accepted that they needed each other to bring balance to the bizarre circumstances that made up their lives. Orphaned twin magical prodigies that wound up saving the world not once, but twice, who could count the world's most powerful kings and queens among their closest allies, and who were now the leaders of the magic capital of the world at the tender age of twenty-two: To Porom, it felt as if the only other person in the world who understood Porom's brand of crazy was her twin, and she felt fairly confident Palom would say the same of her.

It had been months ago that Porom, Palom and the young woman fate had thrown in their path, the naïve, but determined Troian Epopt Leonora, had come home from the battle on the True Moon that had nearly destroyed them all. But Porom still felt as if it were yesterday – that was how quickly time had sped by since she and her brother had officially been awarded Mysidia's care in their new roles as co-heads of the village. But another wonderful thing had happened, too – Leonora had left her home in Troia in pursuit of becoming a sage and had showed up in Mysidia one random day in hopes that Palom would take her on as his student. She had been welcomed to their home residence, the Tower of Prayer, with open arms, and a benevolent energy seemed to settle in alongside her – Palom became slightly gentler in his interactions with those around him, and even the Elder, their adoptive father, seemed to become more relaxed with another young, bright mind hanging around to keep his children from killing each other.

Porom's mind drifted back to earlier that morning, to the precise moment where the adrenaline had surged through her body like one of Leviathan's tidal waves and sent her careening into her disaster of a day. She had opened her eyes, stirred from what had been an _amazing_ dream by a peel of raucous laughter outside her cracked-open window. She remembered thinking it was odd to hear so many voices that early in the morning – her bedroom faced the western side of the tower, where other than a community garden and small well was situated, did not see a lot of action until later in the morning, when it was time to gather supplies for lunch or dinner. Her eyes had caught a glimpse of the wind-up clock on her nightstand, and she remembered feeling a brief tickle of confusion in her stomach when it appeared that the minute hand and the hour hand on the clock's face had been reversed.

And then the reality of her situation had all come crashing down to her at once – coinciding perfectly with the arrival of a stiff breeze that knocked over yet another pile on her desk. She was very, very late, for what was undoubtedly one of the most critical sessions of the semester – and Palom, nor anyone else, was around to substitute the proctoring of the exams. Even the Elder – well, technically the former Elder, but Porom would never know him as anyone else – had managed a rare getaway from the village with several of his aides. He was conducting his annual pilgrimage to Kaipo, where he would pray over his best friend, Tellah's, grave and conduct other business at Castle Damcyan with King Edward and Queen Harley, keepers of the Crystal of Fire.

 _May this be the end of my growing pains in this new role,_ Porom thought. _At least, for the time being. Time to think of bigger and better things._

Like that most _lovely_ dream that had spurred the morning's disasters…Porom let out a little sigh, pressing her lips together as she sank yet deeper in the bath, the water splashing the curve of her jaw as she dipped her head back to completely soak her hair. It had been a recurring dream that she had started having randomly since her return home from the True Moon. Even with her abundance of magical blood, Porom's dreams had never been anything out of the ordinary – the usual fare when she was younger about showing up to class naked or forgetting that she had a huge, life-changing exam that she didn't study for. But these dreams had a totally different flavor – for one thing, they were some of the most lucid visions she had ever had – she felt as if she had full control over every moment and movement within, which for a control freak like her, was pleasurable all in itself. The other detail that distinguished them, however, was…

Well…

A tinge of pink blossomed on the apples of her cheeks as she replayed the phantom trails of kisses soft lips had traced over her neck, chest, and then yet further down her abdomen, the heady scent of rain meeting the ocean and citrus drowning her senses. She buried her hands in a pile of flaxen curls that wove through her fingers, wrapping her hands in gauntlets of silk. Every time she had tried to catch a glimpse at her lover's face by gently tugging at their hair, they would press deeper against Porom's body, and she would feel a rush of blood cascade from her head to her hips, starlight exploding behind her eyes and distracting her from her efforts. Every time the dream visited her, it was like welcoming home an old friend whom you hadn't spoken to in years, yet everything picked up exactly as it had been left – Porom could feel the subtle shifts in her consciousness as the dream took hold, levers clicking on and off in a whir in her brain – stressors about the world, her family, the crushing responsibility that had been laid on the shoulders of a twenty-two year old woman? _Click!_ Deactivated. The insatiable urge to suddenly want to be worshipped, loved, touched, torn down to her foundation and exquisitely rebuilt by delicate, yet depraved hands? _Click!_ Thrown into overdrive.

Needless to say, the non-existence of any semblance of a dating life for Porom during daylight hours made those types of dreams even more of a welcome distraction – and they always seemed to come when she was feeling her lowest, as if her body could sense she needed the distraction. A small, devious part of her also enjoyed that she had a secret life, even if it was only in her imagination, that no one else was privy to. As one-half of the child prodigy duo that became famous for their magical abilities before they could even utter a proper sentence (Porom was fairly sure that the rumor about Palom setting his own crib on fire as a baby was rooted in truth), Porom's life had always been, by default, up for public consumption. It had never been something she particularly minded: She understood that the flip side of growing up in a privileged existence as the village Elder's daughter and having access to the best of everything to further her magical development meant that people in the village who supported that lifestyle would have a vested interest in her. Being a twin meant she had fight twice as hard to carve out her own identity in the public eye, too.

But even so, she still craved some level of autonomy and she treasured those rare fragments of her life that were hers and hers alone – fragments that had nothing to do with her being a prodigy in white magic, being a twin, being a war hero, or, now, filling the really big, really established shoes of Mysidia's previous Elder.

 _My dream was different this time,_ Porom mused. _There was something about it that made me want to press on and on…no wonder I ignored my alarm. I just wish I could remember all of it…_

No matter how much she tried to relax and clear her mind of any distractions, it just wouldn't come back to her. She plunged her head completely beneath the surface of the bath, the lap of the water and the sterile echo of her breathing fading away to vibrating nonsense that bubbled in the back of her skull. As she ran her hands down the front of her abdomen and circled around to the back of her legs in a quick scrub, she felt a tiny spark of reminiscence burst inside her mind, a dull ache pulsing in her hips as her fingers brushed over the supple length of skin between the curve of her ass and her thigh.

 _This feels familiar…_ She pressed her fingers in harder, marveling at the difference in the tautness of the flesh over the well-developed muscles in the back of her thighs versus the soft, pliable skin of her rear, and slowly slid her hand over the top of her thigh, gingerly pressing her fingertips against the aching spot between her legs. _I was pulling someone close to me – warmth overflowing between my fingers, melding against them. Skin so soft that all I wanted to do was…_ She shivered as she pressed her fingers lower and was rewarded with the flash of another memory: her mouth, chapped, swollen and as pink as her hair, urgently tugging at a teardrop-shaped rise of alabaster flesh.

 _…Wait…_ _ **what**_ _!?_

"Lady Porom? A-are you alright?"

Porom's eyes snapped open, a blur of corn silk and white floating over her from above. She emerged from the bath, exhaling loudly as a rush of desperately-needed air filled her lungs, and whirled around, blinking the water out of her eyes. The figure behind her fell back in surprise, a tangle of slender white legs sprayed with an almost translucent film of downy blonde hairs and a twisted bath towel that covered all of the rest of her. Her magenta-stained lips were half-open in shock, a spill of yellow-white wavy hair tumbling over her shoulders. Kind, sleepy, gray-green eyes were peering at her from beneath hooded lids, her side-swept bangs dangling over her brow.

"L-Leonora!" Porom gasped. "I'm so sorry – are you OK?"

"S-sure," Leonora stuttered, clutching her towel to her chest as she slowly rose to her feet. "I was just wondering the same myself about you. Y-you weren't moving when I came in, and I…"

Porom shook her head quickly, settling back down into the bath so that she was no longer looking directly up Leonora's towel – not that she could see anything, anyway – Leonora was a pro at keeping her body under serious lockdown in the bathing area. She knew from living with Leonora for these past few months that she was terribly shy about _anything_ that had to do with her body – years of being groomed to become a Troian Epopt had ingrained within her stalwart values that correlated purity with the human body, and even when she had shared a living space with her fellow Epopt candidates, all women, Leonora had explained that they would all bathe in white gowns or bathing suits and were encouraged (although not explicitly told) to retain their "chastity" for as long as possible – such activities were considered disruptive to one's service of the Crystal of Earth and a distraction. It was why the current seven Epopts that served Troia were themselves unmarried – they were sisters that had made a vow of celibacy when they decided to dedicate their lives to the crystal. (The eighth post, which Leonora had accepted and then promptly vacated after the war, was now open once more.)

Porom still remembered the night Leonora had told all of this to her and Palom with a straight face over dinner and had how the girl had been marveled when the twins explained they had carried a totally different perception of Troian culture.

* * *

"It's a country run by women, for gods' sake," Palom had hiccupped after his third glass of wine. "You can't go ten yards without seeing a tit."

"Palom!" Porom had gasped, slinking into her chair embarrassedly. She honestly didn't want to know what part of Troia he had been to if that were really the case – she had never experienced such a phenomenon in her many trips there. Leonora, for her part, had turned so red at Palom's comment that Porom was afraid she would pass out on the table right then and there and land face-first in her food.

"What he means…" Porom sighed, leaning over the table, "Is that in general, Troia is a very female-positive nation, and places less restrictions on women than other countries – for example, even a place as progressive as Baron still does not allow women in their military, yet Troia does. It just seems like the requirements to serve the Crystal of Earth fly in the face of everything Troia stands for."

"Ah, I understand," Leonora nodded, smiling a little. "Well, like any country – there are more conservative, traditional sects of the population that do things a bit differently. Honestly, it's all I know – and that was one of the reasons why I decided to leave my post. After experiencing everything I did during the war and on the True Moon…I realized there was a lot more world for me to see before I settled down in any one place, and that there were people who wanted my post that didn't have the inclination to…shall we say, wander? Besides, I don't think the Epopts totally believed me when I told them what purpose the crystal actually served – I realized that in doing so, I was shattering hundreds of years of tradition that their families had dedicated their lives to. Of course, I'm perfectly content with them carrying on like nothing has changed, but…" She shook her head, pressing her lips together. "…Something _irrevocable_ inside of me changed when I came home – and I could no longer ignore it."

"Well, we are both very glad you are here," Porom beamed, raising her glass. "Can you imagine what life would be like now if Palom hadn't been assigned to be your black magic teacher before war broke out?"

"I honestly cannot," Leonora giggled. "If it hadn't been for Palom encouraging me…I might have never even thought about how wonderful it would be to become a sage – and I most certainly wouldn't be here with you two right now." Leonora raised her glass too, and they clinked them together with a knowing smile. Palom tossed back the rest of his drink without comment, hiccupping again.

* * *

"I'm fine," Porom bleated, her cheeks reddening when she thought about what she might have looked like under the water. Just how much had Leonora seen of her? Had her face looked…funny? Happy?

…Or a little _too_ happy?

Leonora slipped around the other side, stepping into the bath a few feet away from Porom and smoothing her towel against her skin as it began to soak up the water and flare out. At first, the less understanding mages that typically congregated the baths at the same time as Leonora whispered about how strange it was that the ex-Epopt was never comfortable enough doing something as benign as bathing with women she felt were otherwise fit to eat, sleep and associate with in and around the tower. But now a few months later, everyone was used to it, Porom included. She too, had had to remind herself that Leonora was the stranger in a strange land, and hadn't grown up with any of the knowledge of Mysidian traditions – in fact, rather than think she was meek or docile, Porom felt that Leonora was a hell of a lot stronger than most – she had given up everything she had ever known, and the only dream she had ever had, just based on the nagging instinct that perhaps there was something greater waiting for her.

Porom could easily say with a straight face that just the _thought_ of ever doing what Leonora had done – defying authority, running away from home, and provoking disappointment in those who had poured their hopes and dreams into her – made her want to pee her pants.

But that trail of thought, unfortunately, brought Porom back full-circle to why Leonora had been gone in the first place – _and holy chocobos, she was back now, and Porom hadn't done ANYTHING she was supposed to do…!_ She silently cursed herself for spending too much damn time in the bath and thinking about too many things that were hardly considered productive, even as the ache in the center of her hips kept on persistently throbbing, and the muscle memory of the shapely contours of flesh that had filled her hands in her dream made her fingers twitch anxiously beneath her legs – she had shoved them out of sight so that Leonora wouldn't notice her acting so weird.

"Did you, um…" Porom's brain short-circuited as she struggled to pull her mind out of the proverbial gutter. "…Happen to stop by our room on your way up?"

Leonora had been picking at her fingernails and looked up in surprise when Porom started talking. She had thought for sure based on the stormy look in Porom's eyes that she was not exactly keen on having company – Leonora had noticed that the usual azure blue of Porom's gaze had been swallowed almost entirely by pools of black.

"No, I'm afraid not – I was so exhausted after we made it back that I told Palom I needed to come up here straightaway and have some peace," Leonora pressed her cheek against her hand, smiling slightly. "A couple weeks of Palom go a long way, don't they?"

 _Her stutter is gone,_ Porom thought, the corner of her mouth tugging up. _I must have made her nervous before…poor thing probably feels like she is always walking on eggshells between Palom's insanity and my…well, whatever the hell is wrong with me these days._

"They certainly do," Porom nodded. "But were you at least successful in what you set out to accomplish? I suppose I don't entirely understand why he dragged you out of here in the first place. It happened rather fast."

Leonora's gaze faltered for a moment, and Porom felt her stomach flip-flop.

"I'll tell you later. There certainly was a lot crammed into our journey, and if I told you everything now, we'd both be wrinkled prunes by the time I was done."

 _Uh-oh,_ Porom gulped. _That's Leonora-speak for "I'm going to cry if you make me think about this for one more second"._

Porom lifted her gaze to the clock that was hanging in the room and made a show of being shocked at the time. "Well, on that note…" She pulled herself out of the water, reaching around and wringing out her waist-length hair, "…I should be getting back to things myself. I kind of got a late start to the day."

"Oh," Leonora blinked, lowering her chin. "Does that mean you have a lot of errands? Classes are over, right?"

The ache in her hips suddenly pulsed so fiercely that Porom nearly fell over. _What…the…hell…? I need to get this dream off my mind, or I'm not going to be much use of anyone today._

 _Is it just me, or does Leonora sound so disappointed all of a sudden?_

Porom reached for her towel, feeling strangely conscious of just how naked she was even though she could count on all her fingers and toes how many times she and Leonora had bathed together just like this. She quickly wrapped the towel around her chest, tucking the end in by her armpit. She caught another glance at Leonora's slumped form and sighed. She didn't want Leonora to think she was purposely ditching her – she obviously wanted someone to talk to that wasn't Palom. But…

"Leonora…I'll just come out and say it."

"Mmmm?" Leonora mumbled, and Porom pressed her hand to her forehead, grumbling.

"I turned our room into an absolute sty while you were gone. I was falling behind with so much that I turned our room into ground zero for my operations. Shortly after you and Palom departed, the Elder decided to also take his pilgrimage to Kaipo – I may have been too hasty in assuring him that I had everything handled for him to go. So, as you can imagine, things were kind of crazy here. Not that I'm using it as an excuse… But I wanted to try to straighten up before you came back so you didn't have to deal with it after your long journey."

"Are you serious?" Leonora blinked, and Porom averted her gaze. Suddenly, Leonora burst into a fit of laughter, and had to clutch her towel to keep it from popping open. "It's not a big deal! Obviously, I was not here to use the room, so what harm does it do me? If I wanted to come home and sleep, there are no shortages of beds anywhere else in the tower, eh?"

Porom flushed, turning away. She knew Leonora wasn't intending to be cruel – there wasn't a single cruel bone in Leonora's body, as far as she could tell – but her dismissive little laugh that sounded like tinkling crystal when it echoed off the bath walls made Porom feel as if she were obsessing over nothing.

 _Although…when Leonora puts it that way…it all does sound…stupid._

 _So why_ _ **do**_ _I care so much about getting out of here right this minute?_

She didn't have an answer for herself, of course, or else she would have sat right back down. Instead, she made a show of tucking the towel tighter so that there was zero chance of any accidental flashings on her way out. "At any rate, that's what I'm on my way to do," Porom said, shrugging away Leonora's comment and plastering on a smile. "I'll let you know when it's safe to enter." She stepped out of the bath, starting to cross the hall back to the changing room. Just as she reached the threshold, she heard Leonora call out to her, and she froze in place.

"Porom…if you want help, you need only ask. I know that Palom shares half your responsibilities, but…" Leonora shook her head, "…I'm only here to train to become a sage, and I'm sure I don't understand everything you do that keeps Mysidia running. But I'm at least competent enough to clean a room. Or you can put me to work another way, if need be. You and Palom have done far too much for me to not be of any service to you."

 _'Only here to become a sage',_ Porom's shoulders hunched as she stared at the floor, watching as beads of water steadily dripped down the length of her legs and splashed onto the stone. _Maybe that's true…but since you've come here, life in Mysidia has been so much better. I finally have a friend that I can actually talk to about something other than mastering the next level of magic or village drama. Someone that cares about Palom as much as I do yet doesn't think the sun shines out of his ass and is happy to call him out on his idiocy. Someone I can just be a normal girl with. I don't want to push any more of my problems onto you – I just want you to be here, and be happy, so that you want to keep on with your training for as long as possible._

Porom bit her lip. That reminded her – she needed to find Palom too and get his perspective of what happened on the trip – preferably before she heard Leonora's side of the story. Leonora always tended to down-play the hurt others inflicted upon her – with Palom, he would at least be honest about his transgressions, simply because he wouldn't see anything wrong with them. Porom would use the notes from the latest town hall as her excuse to hunt him down and ease her way into the conversation so that she didn't look too nosy.

"I appreciate it," Porom offered in reply, swishing through the curtain that acted as the divider between the rooms and disappearing from sight. Leonora's gaze lingered after Porom's willowy form for a few beats before she sunk deeper into the bath, closing her eyes and clutching her towel tighter as she dipped her head back.

It didn't occur to Porom until long after she had returned to their room that Leonora, in her offer to help, had not prefaced her name with her usual "Lady" honorific.

* * *

It was only later that afternoon that Porom had been able to find her brother. She had worked through lunch, using the opportunity to tear through a sandwich with one hand (she was ravenous from skipping breakfast) and grade exams with the other at her freshly-cleared desk, the windows thrown wide-open so she could take advantage of the sunshine to lift her mood. After she had completed the grading, she dropped the marks off with an apprentice mage to get posted and finished the last of her purging of the room. She had been sure to do Leonora's side as soon as she had returned from the baths, but Leonora had never come back. She didn't hear the door to her brother's room across the hall open at any point either, so perhaps Leonora had decided to strike it out on her own for lunch as well.

The more time Porom spent basking in the sun and the more she was able to check off of her to-do list, the faster the torrid dream faded from her memory. The ache between her legs had finally died, and she no longer felt as if she were going to pop like an overinflated balloon at the slightest provocation. She paused in front of her open wardrobe as she hung up a final tunic she had retrieved from the floor, staring at her reflection in the pair of mirrors that were nailed into each door. Her air-dried hair was framing her heart-shaped face with tousled curls, and the seemingly permanent blush in her cheeks had at-last faded back to her usual toasted color with just a splash of freckling that she picked up every summer. Once she had changed into a clean white sundress with her pink striped tights underneath, she felt good as new again.

 _I was clearly just stressed. My body was desperate for a release – anything to keep me from throwing myself out a window._

 _It didn't mean anything…_

She subconsciously sucked back on her lower lip until it bloomed a deep coral and emerged from the inside of her mouth swollen and moistened. An unsettling tickle rose in her pelvis as her eyes darted down to the gossamer twin swells of pink now poking against the bust of her dress, the salty-sweet taste that had taken over her mouth in the dream as her tongue had probed that delicate flesh now crashing over her like a waterfall.

 _E-especially that last part…_

She slammed the wardrobe doors shut, tugged on a spare cloak, and gathered the notes from the town hall she had freshly re-arranged into a folder.

* * *

Palom, surprisingly, was in his usual classroom, spraying down a blackboard and running a rag over it. He looked up as Porom entered, giving her a half-wave.

"I heard you had your hands full."

She nearly tripped over a table, her face blanching as she thought back to the dream.

"You…erm…heard correctly," Porom wheezed when she realized he was talking about how overwhelmed she had been, straightening herself and ignoring the judgmental cut of Palom's side-eye. "But at least everyone managed to take their exams today."

"Did you grade mine, too?" Palom grinned, and Porom sighed, nodding.

"Yes – but in exchange, you need help me work through this laundry list of concerns the villagers have. I think we'll have to call in some help from Baron, but…"

"Then just do it," Palom shrugged, setting down the rag and stepping back to admire his handy work. "Ceodore is back, along with many of the Red Wings, from the first leg of Cecil's "I'm Sorry Baron Screwed with the Crystals AGAIN" goodwill tour. They should have plenty of help to spare."

"Er…" Porom shook her head, sliding the folder across the table toward him. "Maybe just read first, and then decide? I'd like an _informed_ opinion."

"Yeah, yeah," Palom huffed, snatching the folder but making no motion to actually open it. "I'll look at it later when I need some light bedside reading."

Porom bit her lip, trying to steady her building rage.

 _He just got home from a long trip – he's probably exhausted._

 _Obviously, something unsavory happened between him and Leonora._

 _He probably feels a little guilty for leaving me alone._

 _…But he's also kind of being an ass right now._

Porom decided to barrel right on ahead to part B of the conversation she had conveniently mapped out in her mind.

"So how did your trip go? This was some sage training for Leonora, correct? Where did you take her?"

Palom stiffened at the question, and Porom's eyebrow shot up.

 _Ding, ding, ding – my intuition is never wrong!_

He plopped down at one of the shared desks in front of the blackboard, propping his leg across his knee. Porom sat down across from him, crossing her legs primly and folding her hands in her lap. She kind of felt like a therapist, but she supposed that was the whole point – she needed Palom to spill.

"The training went really well, actually…she's developing at such a rapid pace, that I wonder if she's even going to need to stick around here for a full year."

"O…Oh?" Porom swallowed, feeling as if a ball of lead had started to roll around in her gut. "That's…great to hear."

"Sure," Palom shrugged, glaring at a collection of posters hanging on the eastern wall that depicted the three levels of basic black and white magic spells. "We hit up all the hot spots – the Underground Waterway for some undead, Mist Cavern, the Lodestone Cavern and the forests around Troia."

"You went back to Troia?" Porom sat back, a little surprised at this revelation. "Did that make her nervous, returning home so soon after resigning from her position? I still think she worries about what the people there think of her."

"If she was worried, she didn't say anything," Palom drawled, and Porom anxiously unwove her fingers, drumming them against her thighs.

"Well…you _do_ know that she wouldn't say anything if she was nervous, right? That's kind of how Leonora operates…"

"Yes, of course I know that," Palom spat, and Porom jumped in her chair at his sudden change in tone. "That's the whole point of these exercises, you know – it's not just to have her rack up her kill count for monsters. It's to put her in unfamiliar and undesirable situations and critique the way she reacts to them. If you're nervous, you're not going to be able to cast that lifesaving spell or help anyone else. Half of casting magic is actually knowing the spells – but the other half is having the mindset and the confidence to properly execute. If you don't have a will of steel every time, you'll fail."

"I don't know if I agree with that," Porom said softly, but with resolution. "You don't think someone like Queen Rosa or Rydia still gets a little afraid when they are on the battlefield? Anything can shake one's will in the heat of battle – if confidence does turn to fear, it's just a matter of making that fear work for you, right?"

"That's not how I'm teaching her," Palom frowned. "You can't be wishy-washy with someone like Leonora, or she'll just dither about, overthink it all, and cry. Are you implying that after all this time, I don't know my own student?"

"No," Porom pressed her lips together, her mind flashing back to the look on Leonora's face when she had asked about the trip.

 _Yes._

"That's what I thought. Anyway – as I said, the training went fine, and Leonora kept her game face on the entire time."

 _And she was probably torturing herself, too – wondering why she couldn't possibly bring herself to tell you how she really felt about it all. That kind of training doesn't build someone like Leonora up – it slowly tears them down, disintegrates their will and their courage until there is nothing left. Maybe that methodology works for you, but…_

 _Leonora is your total opposite!_

"Did something else happen?" Porom asked gently. "You just seem kind of down since you got home."

"This is the first time you've seen me," Palom glowered. But after a few moments, he let out another huff, tugging his leg higher up over his knee and keeping his hands gripped on his ankle. "It was when we were in Troia proper, making our arrangements to come home – we were all settled for the night in the inn. I wanted to blow off some steam, so I told Leonora I was going to the King's Bounty Pub. And she totally lost it!"

"…Wait, wait, wait," Porom shook her head in disbelief, wanting to make sure she heard correctly. "The King's Bounty Pub? Isn't that like…a…"

"A club for refined gentlemen?" Palom smirked, and Porom felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

"…I was going to say burlesque show, but…sure."

"Fair enough," Palom shrugged. "But – it's a world-famous one, no less! I didn't get to go the last time I was there, and it was on my bucket list. She really let me have it – telling me that it wasn't 'appropriate', and to think about how it would make her look if I went. But I was like…no one cares about your teacher, Leonora – they just care about what you're doing, how you're carrying yourself. Don't deflect your prissy upbringing on me, you know?"

"I…I don't think that's what she was worried about," Porom blinked. _Dear gods…after everything those two went through together when they escaped the True Moon's clutches…he couldn't possibly be that much of an idiot…could he?_ Her mouth felt dry and sticky as she choked out her next thought. "Palom…you DO realize Leonora likes you, right? Like…beyond a student-teacher relationship."

"Of course," Palom said dryly, and Porom raised her hands, aghast. She didn't like the way the lead ball in her stomach was now blossoming into some sort of spiked abomination that threatened to crawl out of her gaping mouth.

"Then…how could you not see why she would be so upset about you going to a place like…that? I thought you…erm… _liked_ her too?"

"I…I do," Palom lowered his head, blowing his stick-straight, chestnut bangs out of his face. "She's cute, and clever, and I think she has brass balls, doing everything she did for Troia during the war and then coming here to live out her dream. But it's not like we're _promised_ to each other. I thought when she moved in to the tower, things between us would gradually start to evolve – we no longer had the threat of war breathing down our necks, and we could just do normal things together when we weren't training. Get to know each other better, you know?"

"But…?" Porom pressed, and Palom crossed his arms over his chest.

"But all she _cares_ about is training. She takes everything so damn seriously – I can't seem to ever get her to just let go with me. That's why I wanted to go to the King's Bounty – I just wanted to have a little fun – that's not a crime, right? She wouldn't go with me when I asked, so I left her at the inn, I had a good time, and I came back. No harm, no foul. She's been in a tizzy about it ever since though."

 _Leonora can have fun,_ Porom frowned. _Have you ever just walked around with her in the market just as all the shops are opening for the day, so you can smell everything baking fresh and have a stupid contest to see who can find the other the most delicious breakfast? Have you ever sat with her at the pond to go frog watching, or to catch jars of fireflies to surprise the children confined to their backyards after the sun has set? Have you ever just had a conversation about nothing, and marveled at all the things you have in common, even though you were born continents apart?_

"Hello – Porom!" Palom waved his hand in her face, and she blinked, nearly falling out of her chair. It took everything she had not to snatch Palom's fingers and backhand his own face with them.

 _Why…why am I getting so upset about this…?_

"I have to go," Porom mumbled, pushing her chair back and standing up. "But…just tell me one thing. Did you actually talk to her about any of this, yet? Did you explain to her why you felt so compelled to go to the pub in the first place?"

"Sure, I did," Palom shrugged. "Leonora's problem is that she can't separate the real me from her teacher. She doesn't understand that I'm hard on her in training because I want her to succeed – I want her to become a sage probably as much as she does, if not more. But then she clams up on me when we're doing anything else. It wasn't like that when we were traveling together during the war – she was spirited, adventurous…willing to do whatever it took to fight for Troia's crystal. That's all the stuff that made me fall for her. But maybe she _doesn't_ have feelings for me like that now – she doesn't show that side to me anymore."

Porom didn't reply, chewing on her lip as she drummed her fingers anxiously on the back of the chair.

 _I suppose it's true that being thrown into the war could have made Leonora act different when she first met Palom…when you wake up every day thinking it might be your last on the planet, suddenly the boundaries you've imposed upon yourself don't seem to matter much anymore. But even so…I_ _ **know**_ _Leonora has a crush on Palom…she told Luca and I as much while we were on the True Moon together, and I see the way she looks him when she thinks no one's looking. And she wouldn't have gotten so jealous of him going to see dancing girls if she didn't want him to herself. Why has she not yet told him how she feels? Is it really because she's intimidated by Palom, like he thinks she is?_

 _As long as he thinks there's even the slightest chance of rejection, he'll never confess to her first – that's always been how Palom has operated – do the hurting before someone can hurt you. Maybe if Leonora told him straight to his face what she told me and Luca, he would realize what a moron he is being and just love her back the way she needs…_

 _Heh. What am I talking about? What could I possibly know about what Leonora needs…?_

"Where are you going?" Palom tilted his head as Porom pivoted to leave. "You don't have anything else to do today, right?"

Porom smacked her palm against her forehead, knocking herself out of her contemplative state. _Why do people keep asking me that?_

"Palom…we're the leaders of Mysidia now. There is _always_ something we have to do."

"I know, I know," Palom said quickly, snatching up the folder of notes as a surprisingly sober look washed over his features. "I promise, I'll read these. How about I get started on sorting some of this out, and you grab us something delicious from town for dinner? My treat."

"Erg…" Porom mumbled under her breath. She had wanted to find Leonora – she had a sudden urge to rush back upstairs and make sure she was OK now that she knew what Palom had done to upset her so much...to so brazenly tell the girl that's in love with you that you're going to see a bevy of half-naked women for entertainment – argh, she could smash this chair over his back right now just thinking about it! Not to mention, Porom now felt more than a twinge guilty for abandoning Leonora earlier to do something as stupid as housekeeping…

 _But…I just had to get out of there…if I had stayed…_ Porom could feel her heart hammering against her chest when she thought about what Leonora had almost caught her doing in the bath. _…I would have done something even more terrible to upset her._

"You can even get dinner from that cutesy little café you like, and I won't breathe a word about it," Palom purred. Porom finally spun back around, jamming her hands on her hips.

"Fine! I'll get us dinner. But after I get back, we need to put together a serious game plan for everything in that folder. There have also been some requests that have come in for the Elder in his absence, and…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Palom groaned. "Please leave now so I can at least read in peace."

"Hmmph," Porom pouted, spinning on her heel and making her exit. If he hadn't had been so cooperative with spilling the beans and hadn't shown her a peek of his own heartache, she would have killed him two times over by now.

* * *

On her way back to the tower with a basket full of carefully wrapped sandwiches, fresh fruit, and a bottle of Mysidia's own Bacchus Wine, Porom wrapped her free arm around herself, shivering as she gazed up at the sky and took in the bruised clouds that had started to gather from the east. It had been so warm when she had left that she had circled back and quickly dropped her cloak off in one of the classrooms so that she wouldn't wind up sweating buckets on her walk. But she had spent a lot of time in the café catching up with random villagers that had stopped her to ask how life was going (what life?), about the Elder's health (better than ever, now that he had given up most of his duties to Palom and Porom), and whether Palom was keeping himself out of trouble (ha ha ha ha ha ha). By the time she had finally managed to escape, the weather had taken a drastic turn for the worse – the lowered temps had sent most of the villagers that usually milled the streets in late evening back to their homes, fireplaces blazing, and a fierce wind had started to pick up, whipping Porom's ponytail violently back from her face like a battle standard.

 _A storm's approaching…_

She hurried the rest of the way home, just barely crossing the threshold of the entryway before the first fat drop of rain fell, smacking into the walkway behind her as she slipped inside. A few seconds later, there was an earth-shaking roll of thunder followed by the rising chorus of rain careening into the tower's roof.

"Lord Palom and Miss Leonora are in the drawing room," an apprentice black mage called out to Porom as he darted across the hall, candles nestled in ivory and plated-gold lined sconces bursting to life as he flicked Fire spells toward each of them. Thanks to their supply of late-evening lingering sunlight being cut off by the storm clouds, the tower had fallen completely dark in the time Porom had been away. "They've been waiting for you."

"Thanks," Porom nodded, rushing past him and turning down the hall. She had been gone for longer than she had intended – everyone was probably well on their way to starving, including herself. It had been difficult for her to stifle the awkward noises her stomach had been making in the café while she was being grilled.

The door to the drawing room was left ajar, the spill of candlelight into the not-yet lit hall guiding Porom to the others. When she was steps away, she reached toward the door to knock and announce her arrival, but found her voice caught in her throat when she heard a frenzied sob from within.

"H-how can you sit there and lie to my face? It's…well…unacceptable!"

 _Leonora!_ Porom bit down on her lip, slowly lowering her hand and sliding against the adjoining wall so that she was no longer visible in the light's path. _What happened now?_

"You're the one who lied first! What were you trying to do, get some sick pleasure out of trying to get me to hang myself?"

 _And Palom too. Just great. I wonder if this is the first time they've seen each other since they got home?_

"I-I didn't l-lie. I was s-so embarrassed that I simply didn't know what to s-say!"

"Heh. Convenient excuse. Either way, you didn't see what you thought you saw. Had you stuck around, you would have realized that."

"W-what I saw was enough!"

"Why do you even care, anyway?"

Porom could feel the acid rising in her throat she listened to another choking sob that bleated out something incomprehensible in reply, her palm that was holding the basket of food now slick with sweat despite the rest of her body being racked in chills.

 _I can't just keep standing here. Someone's going to realize I'm here. I…_

Right on cue, the basket suddenly slipped from Porom's fingers, crashing to the ground and ejecting a couple of rogue clementines that went rolling away. As she scrambled to gather them back up, the door flew open, a red-faced Palom glaring down at her as she sheepishly plucked the clementines off the floor and dropped them back in the basket.

"Ah…dinner's finally here," he snarled, crossing his arms. "Took you long enough. Didja take a detour?"

"Umm…" Porom flushed, hurriedly standing back up and offering the basket up to him. If he was trying to get her to confess to eavesdropping, surely he knew better than to think she would actually comply? "The café was crowded – a lot of people stopped me to check in. I came back as fast as I could."

"Whatever," Palom grunted, pushing the door the rest of the way open as he snatched the basket away. "Welcome to hell."

As Porom shuffled inside, she took one look at Leonora's tear-stained, puffy face from where she was shrinking away in an oversized, fleur-de-lis upholstered wingback chair in the corner, and immediately spun back around to face Palom, the roar of blood rushing through her ears.

"And speaking of 'hell', what in the name of all that is holy happened here!?"

"Porom…" Leonora whimpered, shaking her head. "It's OK. It's done."

"No, it's not. You enjoy drama so much – tell her what you did!" Palom hissed.

"N-no," Leonora lowered her head, sniveling as she dragged the billowing sleeve of her turquoise coatdress across her nose. "I'm n-not putting on a s-show for you!"

"You don't have to tell me anything," Porom assured her as she continued to glare daggers in Palom's direction. "Just take some food and go upstairs."

"Fine, I'll tell her," Palom smirked, lifting the basket away as Porom tried to grab it back from him. "Apparently Leonora is keen to play the role of spy nowadays. She followed me to the King's Bounty to see what I was up to since she doesn't trust me. And instead of approaching me while she was there like an adult, she got mad about something that didn't happen and left without telling me. Which I just found out about now!"

"Huh?" Porom blinked, her gaze flickering back over to Leonora. She had managed to sit up straighter in her chair, although it still swallowed her petite frame – her eyes were glistening with a fresh round of tears as she clenched her jaw so hard that Porom could swear she heard the grind of teeth.

"I wasn't s-spying! You wouldn't let me finish…but it doesn't matter what I was doing, now! I s-saw you…with all those…girls…ugh!" She shuddered and shook her head frantically, like she was trying to throttle the memory out of her brain. "Half-dressed, hanging all over you! And your hands were…UGH!"

"Oh, my gods," Porom groaned, her glare returning to Palom. "Really? Watching the show wasn't enough? You needed a private dance, too?" She was familiar enough with the repertoire of the King's Bounty even without having been there herself – it's not like she didn't teach a bunch of teenage boys who had made it their life's mission to sneak in at some point and had no shame about sharing the gory details with each other while in class when they thought she wasn't listening.

"Is that a crime!?" Palom howled. "And that's exactly all it was – a _dance_. They pick a random person in the audience – it's not like I was asking for it." He cut his eye to Leonora, who was staring up at him defiantly, her hands clutching the arms of the chair with bone-white knuckles. The sight of the slender curve of her neck, glistening with newly-spilled tears that trailed into a valley of skin hidden from view thanks to the raised collar of Leonora's dress, sent a shiver down Porom's spine. She had to press her fingers to her lips to stifle a breathy moan that had slipped out as she shakily exhaled, a strange tugging sensation rocking her core.

 _Even shattered, she looks like a queen…_

"And my hands weren't anywhere inappropriate! You have to tip, you know! Where am I supposed to stick my gil – in their big, roomy pockets?"

"Ahhh!" Leonora hissed, covering her ears. "Don't make me keep picturing it!"

"Sure," Porom shook her head, tearing her gaze away from Leonora and settling for the chair she sat upon instead so that it wasn't too obvious she was staring. "I'm sure there was no way you tossed your name around to every person you could while you were there to not ensure any kind of special treatment. And I am sure you were a perfect gentleman as well. _So. Very._ _Sure_."

"Sarcasm noted," Palom rolled his eyes, finally tossing the basket of food onto the table a few feet away. Porom cringed as she heard the sound of the wine bottle bouncing precariously against the marble tabletop. "I'm telling you the truth, Leonora – I didn't do anything untoward. I wish you would have just let me explain."

"Yeah, w-well, you didn't give me a chance to e-explain either before g-getting mad," Leonora whimpered, hoisting herself out of her chair. "And I saw what I saw. I'm not hungry. I-I'll see myself out."

"Leonora, wait," Porom frowned, reaching for her hand as she swept by. "You should eat something. At least take food for later."

"Please, just leave me be," Leonora sobbed, smacking away Porom's hand and making a mad dash for the door. "I…I've never been so embarrassed in my life." Before Porom or Palom could say anymore, she had disappeared, swallowed by the shadow-drenched corridor, her padded footfalls quickly fading to nothing. Before she could stop herself, Porom found herself racing after her, shooting a final scowl Palom's way as she slammed the door behind her.

She didn't want to feel his nasty smirk on her as she fled back down the hall.

When she reached the tower foyer, her eyes were immediately drawn to the small puddle of water that had appeared in the entryway, sprayed across several feet.

"Leonora!" Porom darted into the classroom where she had left her cloak, praying it would still be there. Sure enough, it was draped over the same chair she had tossed it on, motes of flickering candlelight dancing over the threads. She tossed it over her shoulders, tugging the hood over her head and bolting out the door before she could convince herself that this was all rather foolish.

 _This is between Leonora and Palom_ , Porom thought as she stumbled down the already-soaked steps leading up to the tower, her feet nearly flying out from beneath her no less than three times thanks to the non-existent tread on her sandals. _It's none of my business…_

 _"Oh, but is that really true…?"_ the wind seemed to whisper in her ear, a forceful gale smacking into her and bringing with it a bucket of rain that splashed in her face. _"Then why are you the one out here braving this storm, and not your twin brother?"_

 _Because I'm the fixer,_ Porom lowered her head, her fingers clenching at the hood to keep it steady as she came to crossroads that made up Mysidia's village square. _Because for as long as Palom has been making messes, I've been two steps behind, cleaning them up with a smile so that no one else has to deal with his bullshit._

She could go west, toward the residential district – but there was probably no way Leonora was there. As far as Porom knew, she didn't have any friends that lived in town that she could bunk with. She could go south – the village gates beckoned to her from there, although, again, it seemed an unlikely choice. Leonora hadn't brought along her staff or anything else she could possibly defend herself with if she were attacked by a monster. Although their numbers had gradually dwindled once the crystals that had been stolen from their world were restored, it was still well-known enough that leaving the village unarmed was a risky endeavor. Even with her skill in both black and white magic, Porom still didn't think Leonora would take such a risk where the weather would only put her at a greater disadvantage in battle. Plus, there was nowhere for her to go outside Mysidia's bounds – eventually, she would either meet ocean or Mount Ordeals, and that was a place no living being ever approached unless they wanted the "living" part to no longer be applicable.

 _So that leaves the east – the market district_. Porom turned left, keeping her eyes peeled as she tried to peer into the water-logged windows of every pub or store she came across that still had not pulled down any shades or drawn curtains. Most of them appeared to be packed with villagers who had likely gotten caught in the storm or were using the storm as an excuse to not go home and to drink another round (or five) – she would never be able to actually see Leonora unless she was crammed against one of the windows. As she neared the end of the street, Porom lifted her gaze toward the second-biggest structure in the village (the Tower of Prayer of course being the first), which was the aptly-named Mysidian Inn. Porom knew that beside the availability of beds, the upper level of the inn also boasted a bar with a limited food offering that always made do when one wanted an inexpensive, but filling snack. Her stomach gave an involuntary growl, and Porom clutched her hand over her abdomen out of habit to muffle the sound, even though no one was there, and one could not possibly hear anything over the dreadful roar of the wind anyway.

 _It won't hurt to start here._

The door nearly ripped off its hinges as she gave it a tug, another blast of wind and rain plowing through and tearing her hood back from her head, giving her face a thorough round of soaking. Letting out a small sigh, Porom backed into the inn, pulling the door shut behind her with both hands and pushing her drenched bangs out of her face before turning to the innkeeper, who was shooting her an odd look. The older man wasn't anyone Porom recognized, although she knew the family that owned this place frequently cycled in and out of Mysidia to other nearby villages and always seemed to pick up new wives, husbands or children to help run the joint when they made their return.

"Hello," Porom began as she slid up to the counter, her feet making obnoxious squeaking noises as they squished into her sandals, but the man held up one finger, cutting her off.

"What is with the parade of you troublesome girls tonight? Just 'cause there is a storm doesn't mean you can stay here for free. Unless you have money for a drink or a bed, you'll have to wait things out elsewhere."

" _Excuse me_?" Porom huffed, her face blossoming in a sea of red. "I happen to be looking for someone. About a head shorter than me, blonde, blue dress? Around my age?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know exactly who you're talking about," the innkeeper grumbled. "I told her the same thing I just told you. She didn't have any money, so she left. I'm not running a charity here."

Porom sucked in her cheeks, clenching her fists to her side. It made her extremely uncomfortable to hold her authority as one of Mysidia's leaders over anyone's head unless the situation was dire – she wasn't a Queen, or a Princess, or even a Lady, if you were using the proper definition and not just going by what everyone deemed to call her out of what they thought was respect. Even Palom, with as self-important as he was, typically declined to pull the "Do you know who I am?" card, at least locally – he usually saved it for his journeys overseas, where he had much greater mysticism surrounding his name and people weren't quite as aware of his more…disagreeable history.

But a tiny voice inside of her was screaming to the heavens about the injustice that this bastard had just committed: Turning a lost, foreign, heartbroken girl out to the streets because she had the audacity to not have one gil on her that she could have easily repaid him later, had he taken a moment to ask her who she was. It was…what had Leonora told Palom in the drawing room before…?

Ah, yes. _Unacceptable_.

"You may not be running a charity, sir, but it's in Mysidia's village charter – Section X, Article XXVI, if memory serves – that any business establishment operating under permission obtained from the village elder provides emergency shelter in the event of a catastrophe, natural disaster or act of war to both villagers and visitors to Mysidia at the time of need. It's also known as the "Love Thy Neighbor" amendment, passed seventeen years and three months prior, spurred by the Baronian Massacre at the Tower of Prayer when the Crystal of Water was stolen."

He stared at Porom, dumbfounded, his jaw laid out on the counter. In turn, she narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And Section X, Article XXVII gives full rights to the village elder, head or statesman to declare if such an event meets any of the above qualification. And I…" she glanced out the window, where she was met with a swirling blur of gray shadows, "…Am leaning toward natural disaster, myself. Maybe a monsoon? I'll have to confer with my brother, but…"

"Ah…um…Lady Porom…I didn't realize it was you," the innkeeper wheezed, shaking his head slowly. "Hard to recognize you with the reduced light, and such…"

"I'm sure," Porom said dryly. "I can hardly keep track of all the girls around here with pink hair myself. We're a plague on this village, you know."

"I have a complete and thorough understanding of the law, Lady Porom," the innkeeper flushed, his wiry beard practically glowing red to match his face. "Thanks to you, of course. If…if you should find your friend…please advise her that she is more than welcome here."

"Yeah, no thanks," Porom snapped, spinning on her heel and stomping out as she yelled over her shoulder, loud enough for the entirety of the clientele gathered around the bar upstairs to hear. "But don't let me catch you ever treating someone – a lady or otherwise – like that again! I have eyes everywhere…so it won't just be me you're watching out for. If I were you, I would be on my best behavior at all times…just in case."

"Understood, Lady Porom," he squeaked, and she shoved her way against the door through another gust of wind, stumbling back into the storm.

 _Damn,_ Porom frowned, not bothering with her hood any longer since she was officially soaked to the bone now. _She couldn't have gone far. I'll just check one place at a time and hope that I spot her._ She lowered her head, tugging her cloak tighter over the front of her now mud-splattered white dress and staring at the rising puddle she had inadvertently stepped into, officially removing any pretense that her shoes were now good for anything. She felt a strange ache in her chest, like she had been running for too long and had forgotten how to breathe. _Leonora…why did you run from me…?_

"…Porom? I-is that you…?"

Porom's head snapped up at the sound of the whisper that had carried over the wind, and her eyes darted to the narrow alley that was situated between the lodging side of the inn and the building next door, which was a darkened jewelry shop that had closed for the day. A half-tattered awning that was cracking against the wind was hanging over one of the windows of the inn, a pile of misshapen crates and bucket of soaked sand and ash indicating it was a place patrons could light their pipes if need be – indoor smoking was banned village-wide per Section V, Article II.

And sitting on one of the sagging crates, her eyes bloodshot and her drenched hair and clothes clinging to every inch of her like a second skin, was Leonora. It amazed Porom that even in her ragged state, Leonora still carried herself with the same regal fierceness she had thrown Palom's way before fleeing – her spine was ramrod straight and her legs crossed at the ankles, her hands folded in a most divine manner in her lap as if she were about to lead a session of prayer. Even her ponytail, held together by drooping amethyst-studded clips and by what at this point could only be the mercy of the gods, was elegantly draped down the length of her spine in a way that emphasized the pearly sheen of the sloped curve of her jaw.

"Leonora…" Porom shook her head, that queer tugging feeling returning in her gut as she gingerly took a few steps forward – even though Leonora had called out to her, she was suddenly terrified that she would bolt again if she didn't proceed with caution. "…Are you OK? I was looking everywhere for you."

"I'm sorry," Leonora sniffled, lowering her head. "I saw you walk by to go into the inn, and I called out, but you must not have heard me. I was hoping you'd come back out again...I was afraid to go back inside after that man yelled at me."

"He won't do that anymore," Porom smiled, finally feeling confident that Leonora was going to stay put and crossing over into the alley. "I let him have it."

"…I would have liked to see that," Leonora chuckled, another tear sliding down her cheek even as she laughed. "It's a very rare state to see you mad."

"I could say the same for you," Porom said, plopping down in the empty spot next to Leonora on the crate. As she felt the prickly wood bow slightly under her weight, she was overcome with a delightful warmth that seemed to tingle all the way from the tips of her toes to the part of her hair – and all of it seemed to be radiating off of the girl next to her. "I'm sorry…I should have gotten madder at Palom, too. What he did was…"

"…Don't worry about it," Leonora interrupted, staring down at her lap. "You came for me…and that's all that matters."

"Um…" Porom could feel the heat start to rise in her cheeks as she leaned in closer. Even sitting next to her, she could barely hear Leonora's strained whisper over the raging wind. "…He should still apologize for…"

"…It was a misunderstanding," Leonora said softly, "I wasn't spying on him. I…" her nose wrinkled a bit, and Porom could tell she was having trouble finding her words – Leonora always wrinkled her nose when she was confused about something – and the slightly upturned tip would wiggle like a bouncing bunny tail that Porom had always thought was so adorable. "…I have a friend…someone I used to attend Epopt lessons with, before she dropped out…who worked there. At the pub, I mean."

"Oh, so you went to visit your friend?" Porom asked, and Leonora gave a half-shrug.

"I went to her to ask for a favor. I thought…um…if Palom wanted to see girls like that…" she began to blush furiously, cupping her hands over her cheeks. "…I _can't_ say this to Palom's twin sister."

"You can tell me anything," Porom blinked, her voice cracking as she felt her heart clench – she suddenly realized that the thought of Leonora being too afraid to say something to her made her unbearably sad. Leonora seemed to take this into consideration for a few beats, her eyes finally flicking up to meet Porom's gaze as she lowered her hands from her face.

"…I t-thought if my friend let me borrow one of her work outfits…I could, erm, surprise Palom when he came b-back," Leonora choked. "I wanted to s-show him that…I can be…whatever he needs me to be. That I can b-be…fun. Isn't that…stupid? But I saw him when the hostess was leading me back to her…and…I panicked."

The twisting in Porom's chest grew with such a surprising intensity that she nearly fell over. Smacking her hand down on the crate to keep her balance, she made Leonora wince with the sudden crack of noise.

"Leonora…it's _not_ stupid at all. Far from it. It's…" Porom bit her lip. She had no idea what she was supposed to say next, so instead, she blurted out what she _wanted_ to say. "…It's sexy, and romantic, and…um…if someone had done that for me, I would…" the tugging was stronger now – and it was melting down into her hips, filling her with that delicious ache she got whenever she thought about her secret dreams. But now, she wasn't thinking about them at all – the ache was pulsing inside of her from imagining Leonora in one of those skimpy little outfits, staring up at Porom with a need to be loved so palpable that she could taste it on her lips as she breathed in the air between them. Porom would trail a finger down the curve of her shoulder, inserting it under one of the straps of Leonora's bra…and then…

"…I would make it so that they never doubted they were mine."

"…You would?" Leonora blinked, rainwater from her eyelashes splashing over her cheeks. Porom nodded, daring herself to lean in just a hair closer. She watched as another streak of tears fell from Leonora's eyes, and felt the sudden urge to lick them off her face.

 _I don't understand what's happening to me,_ Porom thought, the flutter of her pulse so wild that she was shocked the crate wasn't vibrating beneath them. _But my body…oh gods, it knows exactly what I need…_

 _And as for my heart…_

"…I would," Porom breathed.

And with that, she closed the space between them, cupping Leonora's face in her hands as she pressed her mouth to hers, her tongue gingerly lapping at the mix of rainwater and tears before probing deeper between Leonora's lips.

Her mouth was the sweetest thing Porom had ever tasted – she could pick up the flowery notes of the clover honey Leonora always used with her tea, a special variety that she imported from the Troian region that she said reminded her of innocent days before the first War of the Crystals. As Porom slowly traced her palm over Leonora's cheek, cold and smooth as porcelain, she twisted a lock of corn silk hair around her finger, inhaling softly. The cloying note of citrus danced in the air, tickling Porom's nose and igniting her core.

 _This scent…it's just like in my dreams…Leonora…could it have been…?_

Porom hadn't realized she had shut her eyes until she felt the guarded caress of the tip of Leonora's tongue running over hers, her eyes snapping open as she gazed down at the ex-Epopt, fireworks going off in her chest. She was sinking into Porom's embrace, her eyes closed and her hands clenched half-way down her thighs, like she didn't know what to possibly do with them. Porom wanted to guide those beautiful ivory digits to one of the seemingly millions of pulsating places on her body, but she also didn't want to release Leonora's face for even a second to do so.

 _Her mouth fits perfectly against mine,_ Porom thought as a spasm ricocheted through her hips. She uttered a moan against Leonora's lips in response to her body's torture, gently sucking her tongue deeper into her mouth. _How can something like that even be possible?_

A few frenzied heartbeats later, Porom finally had to come up for air, pulling away from Leonora and swallowing nervously as she tried to pick up on any kind of reaction. The spell of their kiss was broken – gone was the soft, warm wonderland she had fallen into through the passage of Leonora's lips, replaced by the screaming winds that were now rushing through the alleyway and whipping Porom's cloak about so savagely that she might have blown away if she wasn't weighed down by gallons of rain. After what seemed like forever, Leonora finally opened her eyes, the beginning tinges of a blush erupting over the bridge of her nose and her cheeks as she sat back, pressing her fingers to her lips. She wasn't smiling, but something had ignited in the depths of her gray-green eyes that Porom had never seen before – and she couldn't tell in the shadows of the storm assaulting them if it was the same pure ecstasy she felt…or utter despair.

 _What have I done…?_ Porom gulped, her heart threatening to burst out of her chest the longer Leonora stared up at her. _This is Leonora…the girl Palom likes…the girl that loves my brother! The girl who loves him enough to…_ She shivered, biting her lip as Leonora's tearful confession played through her mind.

 _"I wanted to s-show him that…I can be…whatever he needs me to be."_

"W-we should go back," Leonora suddenly mumbled, turning away. "We'll catch our deaths out here."

"Um…right," Porom nodded, her legs shaking uncontrollably she allowed Leonora to get up first. The ex-Epopt hauled herself off of the crate, her soaked dress unleashing an awkward squelch as it peeled away from the wood. She glanced back at Porom, her eyes dull crystalline fragments, before turning away and silently starting down the alley.

 _Damn, damn, damn!_

Porom scrambled up after her, blinking away the tears that had sprung to her eyes as she tried to keep one foot moving in front of the other.

If anyone at the tower asked, she would just say it was the rain.

* * *

To be continued in _2: To Bud_


	2. 2: To Bud

2: To Bud

"All right, ladies. Let's see what you've got. Spit 'em out."

Porom leaned forward as Alaina, the same white mage who had treated her spontaneously combusting student earlier that morning, bent down to retrieve the thermometer that had been lodged underneath her tongue. Alaina was only a few years older than Porom, but had the demeanor and confidence of a woman far beyond her years, making her the perfect resident nurse for a place like the Tower of Prayer – which, despite its peaceful moniker, saw more magic-related accidents in a _week_ that many villages the world over saw in a year.

Alaina squinted as she held the slender tube of glass over the light of the fire that was crackling in the hearth behind her, one jet-black eyebrow arching slightly.

"Hmm…98.8. A sliver high, but nothing to worry about."

"Phew," Porom smiled, pulling the fleece blanket tighter around her that some other mages had dropped off at Alaina's insistence once she had taken one good, hard look at Porom and Leonora as they shuffled through the door, a pair of drowned ghosts. Had Alaina not been fussing with restocking the potions cabinets in the classrooms, Porom would have just slipped upstairs before anyone could ask any questions and rewarded herself for her foolishness in the alley with a long night of crying herself to sleep. But instead, she and Leonora had been awkwardly herded into the same drawing room from which they had escaped earlier, all evidence of the fight with Palom purged. Gone was the basket of food, and more critically, Porom noted, the bottle of wine that might have helped her forget what had briefly been one of the happiest moments of her life. After lighting the fireplace and forcing Leonora and Porom next to each other in front of it, Alaina teleported with ease in and out of the room to issue orders for blankets and hot tea and to fetch her supplies, a pair of thermometers included.

"Your turn," Alaina smiled, her thick, glossy braid sliding over her shoulder as she reached for Leonora's mouth. Leonora watched mutely, the fire's light dying as soon as it hit her glazed-over stare. Alaina turned toward the fireplace once again, her naturally puckered pout twisting confusedly.

"Oh dear…you're running a bit under. You're at exactly 95 degrees – if you drop anymore, it may mean you're contracting hypothermia."

"Hypothermia…?" Leonora blinked. "I feel fine…I was outside for as long as Porom."

"Lady Porom's always run a little hot, huh?" Alaina joked, but Porom sank lower into the folds of her blanket, grimacing. Alaina had absolutely no clue how close to home that barb had struck. Leonora, for her part, had either already stopped listening, or wasn't as obsessively reading into every little action of the poor woman trying to help them as Porom.

"I'll cast a Cure spell on myself before I go to bed," Leonora offered, but Alaina shook her head, pinching the thermometers between her fingers.

"It's best not to risk it, Miss Leonora. No magic, and no bed for you just yet. I want you to march upstairs and get a warm bath going to try to raise your body temp. Porom, you can set out dry clothes for her in the changing area, right?"

"Y-yes," Porom nodded, stealing a glance at Leonora's face to see if the thought of Porom pawing through her wardrobe had made her friend cringe. But she just continued to stare dead-eyed at the fire, and Porom didn't know whether to be relieved or even more distraught.

"I'm fine…honestly," Leonora frowned. "I'm sorry for causing any trouble."

"It's no trouble at all," Alaina said gently. "But one of the symptoms is lack of self-awareness, and I know you have to be freezing. You're practically sitting in a puddle right now." She gently tugged Leonora's arm, hauling her to her feet. "Come on…we'll teleport up." She turned to Porom, nodding slightly. "Bring the clothes when you're feeling up to it."

"I'll be there shortly," Porom affirmed, her gaze flicking to Leonora as she slumped tiredly against Alaina's shoulder. "…Alaina will get you back to normal in no time."

"Normal…" Leonora's lips lifted in an odd smile. "That will be nice."

Alaina shot Porom a grimace as she shook her head over Leonora's shoulder and mouthed "not good". Pulling Leonora closer, the two of them disappeared in a flash of light, Leonora's damp blanket dropping to the floor. Porom sighed, crawling over to the blanket and stretching it out before the fire so that it would be dry by morning.

 _Leonora…I am so sorry…_

 _Maybe by the morning…she'll forget…think it was just some awful nightmare._

After another solid ten minutes of feeling sorry for herself, she decided it was time to fetch Leonora's bedclothes and bid good riddance to a day that had come full-circle back to disaster status. She left her blanket laying out on the floor next to Leonora's, picking up her ruined sandals and dropping them in the waste basket on her way out.

Luckily for Porom's search, Leonora was even more of a perfectionist when it came to her meager collection of possessions than she was – she hadn't brought much with her when she had relocated to Mysidia and purchased only the bare necessities on their monthly shopping trips to stock the tower with supplies (the exception being her Troian tea that she took great pains to import). Porom knew from living with Leonora for these past few months that she always kept her pajamas in the top drawer of her bureau, a long-sleeved cotton gown that had been dyed mint green with an ivory-woven empire waist. Tucked beneath the bureau, two satin white soles poking out, were Leonora's ballet slippers that she wore around the tower while doing her chores or lounging with herself and Palom. Porom clutched the folded garment to her chest as she grabbed the slippers with her hooked fingers, closing her eyes in an effort to not look at any of Leonora's other things as she slid the drawer closed with the crook of her arm.

Just as she was about to make her exit, Palom's form defiantly filled her doorway, his brow arching as he took in the scene before him. Porom frowned, quickly pivoting a step back so that she didn't smack into him.

"Where did you two run off to? I had half the tower in a tizzy trying to find you."

"Out," Porom said bluntly. "It was nice weather for a walk."

"…Porom," he sighed, suddenly dropping the cool-guy act and shaking his head. "I was seriously worried about you. And Leonora too, of course. If something had happened to either of you…how do you think I would feel? I would never forgive myself."

"Nothing happened." The lie slid off Porom's tongue too easily; she already didn't like what her moment of indiscretion had turned her into. "Although you would do well to think about your behavior that incites such dramatics for next time. You were being absolutely vicious to her. I don't care what you say to me…I know how that twisted mind of yours functions. But _she_ takes everything you say at face-value – you know, like a normal person would. For some reason, it hasn't occurred to her yet that this might just be the real you."

She expected a thorough telling-off after that last comment – she was far beyond reproach by this point in the evening and wanted nothing more than for Palom to slither away so that she could accomplish her final waking task and get some damn sleep. But instead of screaming her head off and slamming the door in her face, Palom's chin dropped to his chest, his fists clutched to his side.

"…I know. I…I was trying…to talk about it more with her. Better explain where I was coming from. Like you said earlier."

"…Huh?" Porom blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I had ulterior motives for getting you out of the tower when I asked you to get dinner."

"Of course," Porom muttered. _I should have known he wasn't just trying to appease me for leaving me to handle everything alone._ "…Go on."

"I asked Leonora to meet me in the drawing room, and I was shocked that she actually showed up. I apologized for my behavior…told her that I realized it had made her uncomfortable, but that I didn't have dishonorable intentions – that was why I had invited her along with me, after all. Why would I do something bad if she were right there?"

"But her standards for dishonorable intentions are clearly not the same ones you hold!"

"I figured that out after she started telling me off about what she saw. Which was _not_ what she claimed – I wasn't groping anyone! I just couldn't get that through her head. And…yeah. I got angry. And that's when you came in."

"Oh, Palom…" Porom smacked her palm against her forehead, groaning. "Sometimes, it's all about _perception_ rather than _intention_. You should know that…you did the same thing to her."

"How?" Palom grunted, and she inhaled sharply, her eyes raising to the ceiling. Her big mouth had already gotten her in trouble once for the night…she figured she may as well go big or go home.

"By accusing her of spying on you without hearing her out."

"Oh yeah? Then what was she doing?"

"…Um…" Now she was having second thoughts.

"Porom!"

 _If Palom understood what Leonora was trying to do…it would make him happy, right? It would make him realize…she still loves him the way she did when they first met._

 _And isn't that what Leonora wants most, too?_

"…She was visiting a friend who worked there. Trying to procure...an outfit to surprise you with later. She was trying to impress upon you that she can, in fact, have fun."

Palom's eyes looked as if they were to pop out of his head. If he hadn't been leaning against the doorframe, Porom was quite sure he would be a heap of limbs on the floor.

"…You're kidding me."

"Why would I make up something like that?" Porom grimaced. Even just saying it aloud made her nauseous with jealousy. "Do you get how _lucky_ you are now?"

"…I'm starting to," Palom frowned. "…I just can't believe it…what am I supposed to do?"

"Apologize. For real, this time," Porom snapped. "But not tonight. She didn't take well to the rain, and Alaina has made Leonora her pet project for the night. You _both_ need to get some rest and start over tomorrow with a fresh perspective. Got it?"

"You're right," Palom nodded. "You really know what you're talking about, sis. I know you hate it when everyone asks you why you don't have a boyfriend, but can you really blame them? You know everything about navigating relationships and you've never even been in one."

Ouch. Well, _that_ was a backhanded compliment if she ever heard one.

"I'm…"

"I know, I know. Too busy to date."

"That's not what I was going to say," Porom snapped, her cheeks reddening. _There's also the minor detail that I've never wanted to be serious about anyone until I kissed the girl that loves you._ "I'm knowledgeable about such things because it's not just a "relationship" thing…emotions are part of being a goddamned human. They make all the relationships in our life complex…friends…family…ourselves, included. That's what happens when you stop thinking of yourself all the time."

Palom snorted, crossing his arms. "…So, what the hell is wrong with me?"

"I haven't got all night."

" _Ha ha_ …I mean, why do I keep pushing her away if this is something we both want?"

"…I can't answer that," Porom whispered, her heart twisting painfully. "But it surely can't be that complicated…if you love her…just tell her. For once, in your godforsaken life, just let yourself choose happiness."

"I'll take it all under advisory," Palom sighed, pushing his hair out of his face. "…You heading to bed now?"

"Yes. Just dropping this off upstairs and then I'm calling it quits."

"OK. We'll talk more tomorrow. I'm almost done with the files you gave me."

"Ah…well…thanks," Porom blinked. "I appreciate it."

Palom turned to cross the hall, his palm brushing the handle of his bedroom door as he suddenly paused. "Thank you…for going after her when I was too foolish to do so. I'm glad you're both all right."

 _I'm not all right quite yet…but I will be. Eventually, I hope._

"I was happy to do it," Porom murmured; it was the first thing she had said to her twin during the entirety of their conversation that didn't make it feel like a knife was being plunged into her chest.

"Leonora…and I…we're both really lucky to have you. I hope you know that."

"Thanks," Porom fastened a small smile on her face, clutching Leonora's clothes so tightly that she could feel her knuckles swelling with the effort. "Good-night, brother."

After she heard the click of his lock, she stole away to the bath, gently depositing Leonora's nightgown and her slippers in one of the cubbies and not bothering to announce her arrival. Before she left, she took Leonora's abandoned barrettes off one of the cubby shelves, the jewels nestled within dulled with the spray of rain water.

 _I'll polish these up for her so that they're good as new tomorrow…and I'll do some apologizing of my own._

* * *

The next morning, after a dreamless, but shallow, sleep, Porom stirred beneath the spill of sunlight filtering through her gauzy curtains at her usual wakeup time – five minutes before her alarm was to go off.

 _At least some small part of my life is back to normal now._

The first thing she did when she opened her eyes was peer across the room at Leonora's bed…

…Which was empty, and looked as if it hadn't been touched all night.

On Leonora's bureau, the two now-glimmering mythril and amethyst barrettes remained in the same place she had left them last night when she had taken the last meticulous swipe with her polishing cloth and left them to play the role of the first of what she was sure would be many future peace offerings.

 _Maybe she spent the night in the infirmary,_ Porom mused. _That would make sense…I would have heard her come in if she had been here. And our room is rather drafty…not good for someone who caught a chill._

She forced herself to get out of bed, pulling her hair up into her usual ponytail and tugging on a pair of leggings and a flowing off-shoulder tunic that she hoped would negate the effects of what was shoring up to be another scorcher of a day. Taking a final peek out her window before heading downstairs, she saw that other than a smattering of tree branches and leaves that blanketed the tower courtyard and walkways, there was no other evidence of last night's storm. The garden was miraculously in-tact, and there weren't any standing pools of water – they had already been evaporated by the sun.

She was shoving a bowl of watermelon into her face at one of the classroom desks by the window, not feeling up to chatting with the other mages in the formal dining hall, when she saw her file of notes suddenly plop down onto the desk across from her. Seconds later, Palom appeared, grinning ear-to-ear.

"Good morning, sis. That was really riveting stuff."

"Good morning," Porom mumbled around her mouthful of food, swallowing and setting down her fork with some regret – she knew it was wishful thinking that Palom would simply leave her be. However, she was confused about his appearance, being that there were no classes and it was before noon. She was about to inquire if a body snatcher had changed places with him overnight, when another voice drifted into the room.

"Good morning, L-lady Porom."

Porom's head shot up, and she twisted around in her chair to see Leonora standing in the threshold, smiling faintly. Other than the spill of hair hanging down the front of her chest that would have normally been meticulously woven into a ponytail and held back from her face with her barrettes, Leonora looked the same as she always did. Maybe her lips had taken on a slightly more violet tinge, but it only served to illuminate the ivory glow of her complexion. She was wearing her usual "uniform" for around the tower – a periwinkle, scoop-necked silk shift that brushed past her knees with a mint sash that tied at her waist. Her bare toes were a flash of white against the oak-finished floorboards.

 _Even after last night, she still looks as regal as ever,_ Porom thought, wondering if anyone else could hear how loudly her heart was pounding. _I've never understood how some girls can walk through hell and back and look as if they've hardly broken a sweat._

"How are you feeling?" Porom choked, forgoing a proper greeting. Leonora would think that Porom was only asking about her health, she was sure. But she couldn't help but notice the way Leonora's eyes ever-so-slightly crinkled as she took in Porom's inquiry.

"Good as new. I think sleeping off the storm in the infirmary was just what I needed. Alaina is a miracle worker. I was even feeling up to trying to rouse this one out of bed." She nodded toward Palom, who gave Porom an obvious, leering wink.

"G-good," Porom gulped, sweat breaking out on the back of her neck. _Oh my gods…they came down here together? Did he apologize this morning, and did she accept it? Or did something…else happen to put him in such a good mood?_

"So, what are your plans for the day?" Leonora asked, her gaze still relentlessly locked on Porom. Under normal circumstances, Leonora had trouble looking anyone in the eye, and preferred to talk to her feet even when she addressed Palom and Porom. She wasn't sure how to react – if she tried apologizing through her gaze, would Leonora know she was sorry, or would she just want to keep pretending nothing had happened? She obviously had not told Palom what had gone down in the alley, or else he wouldn't have greeted Porom with such cheer – maybe with a punch to the face, if she was lucky. "You look back to normal, yourself."

"Which is perfect, because Porom is heading to Baron," Palom interjected, and Porom snapped out of her reverie, turning back in her seat toward her twin brother.

"Wait, what?"

"I agree with you that Baron can help us out with a lot of this stuff," Palom said, tapping the file. "It would be easy for them to pull together a couple of soldiers and send them over rather than us trying to muster together apprentice mages that may or may not pull off what is needed. The Elder really stretched us thin by taking the best and brightest with him on his pilgrimage, huh?"

"Well…" Porom, by default, always moved to defend the Elder – it was practically ingrained into her DNA by this point. "I don't think it is helping matters that so many other nations have been asking for aid in the aftermath of the war either. And the requests keep coming in…"

"I saw them," Palom nodded. "That's why I need you to be the one to go to Baron and ask to borrow a few of their men. Ask them to slay the Zuu that has taken over the forest we hunt within and to take care of some of the other stuff people have been complaining about. I need to start sorting through who is going to go where to answer some of these calls for aid from the other nations. I might even send Leonora on a mission or two."

"…Really?" Porom and Leonora asked simultaneously, spinning around to face each other as they did. Porom could feel her cheeks exploding in a blush, and Leonora's mouth was a flat line.

 _Maybe she_ _ **did**_ _tell Palom and he's sending her away on purpose?_ Porom gulped. _Why would he choose NOW to send her on a solo mission otherwise? Maybe he's waiting until Leonora is gone to punch me in the face…he knows she's a staunch pacifist, after all. Ugh, is_ _ **that**_ _why he's being so nice to me?_

"Porom," Palom snapped, and she jumped in her chair. "Are you listening?"

"Yes!" Porom blinked. "I'll go to Baron and talk to Cecil. Er…right away."

"You can finish eating, first," Palom drawled, his gaze flicking between her half-eaten fruit and her flushing face. She smiled weakly, making a point to stab into one of the fleshier watermelon chunks. "What's going on with you? Maybe you need to see Alaina again too?"

"Maybe," Porom said quickly, thankful for the built-in excuse for her spazzing out. "Perhaps I'll check in before I go to Baron – just in case."

"I can't have you keeling over on me," Palom shook his head. "Not until I'm through with you."

 _Irk._

"I'll finish this upstairs," Porom swallowed another piece of melon and snatched the bowl. "Need to make myself presentable for the king."

"Pshhh, Cecil doesn't care what you look like," Palom guffawed. "He's already got a hot babe you can't hold a candle to. Even though she's a mom, Rosa is still one of the finest women I know."

"Palom!" Porom and Leonora shrieked at the same time, eyes wide.

"How disrespectful!" Leonora shook her head, and Porom shrunk in her seat, casting her gaze aside.

"Cecil is like our elder brother. Honestly…"

 _Not to mention he's not exactly my type..._

"Well, you two can't be that sick if you're being your usual vanilla-ass selves," Palom grunted, standing back up. "Leonora, meet me in the prayer room later – I'll decide what we need to do to help with this work list."

"Yes, Palom," Leonora nodded, stepping to the side as he took his leave. Porom hurriedly stood up, grimacing at the sticky mess the bowl left on her fingers.

"Leonora."

"Hmm?" Leonora turned away from where she had been watching Palom saunter down the hall, away from them.

"Listen…" Porom began, but Leonora suddenly pulled the door shut behind her, her eyes flashing as she glanced over her shoulder.

"Porom, please…don't," she whispered, her lower lip trembling. "Anybody could hear. Not now."

"Palom's gone," Porom blinked, although her voice instantly dropped an octave upon Leonora's command. _So…does this mean she didn't tell him?_ "I just want to say I'm sorry…"

"You…you don't have to do that," Leonora whimpered. "Honestly. I just…" She turned back to the closed door, biting her lip, and Porom noticed that her hand was still clutched on the doorknob, fearful that someone would yank it open and surprise them. "…I know you were just trying to make me feel better. So please don't apologize."

 _Just trying to make you feel better?_ Porom frowned. _Is that what you're telling yourself so that you're not completely sickened by me?_

"…As long as you're all right," Porom finally relented. "I was worried."

"I…I know," Leonora swallowed, her eyes darting like a magnet to the floor. "I…could feel that. I could feel…a lot of things."

 _What the hell?_ Porom bit her lip. _What's that supposed to mean?_

In lieu of asking and getting another non-reply, Porom decided to change the subject. "What will you do if Palom asks you to go on one of the aid requests by yourself? Are you up for it?"

"Yes, I think so," Leonora shrugged. "I told him this morning the same as what I told you in the bath yesterday…that I _want_ to be useful. If he thinks I'm ready, then I should try, right?"

 _Not if it takes you away from me…say what you might and pretend all you want, but this isn't resolved…!_

But of course, Porom wouldn't dare say what she was really thinking – maybe she wouldn't be in this mess now if she had heeded that consideration last night. "If you're up for the challenge, then of course you should go. I'll be cheering for you."

"I know you will – I can always feel it in here," Leonora placed her fingertips over her chest, and her face lit up with the first genuine smile Porom had seen since she had returned home. She felt a microscopic twinge of relief in the pit of her stomach as Leonora's eyes met hers once more. "Thank you, Porom. _I_ should apologize for worrying you."

"N-no way," Porom quickly shook her head. "No one apologizes for anything. Let's just…move on."

"I like that idea," Leonora smiled more, and Porom's heart promptly shattered into a million pieces.

* * *

As soon as Porom could pull together a decent outfit that was comfortable enough for travel, yet wasn't too sloppy – Cecil may have been her big brother in all but name, but he was still royalty, for goodness sake – she was on her way out the door to the Devil's Road without saying any good-byes. As much as she wanted to see Leonora one last time before she departed, she also didn't want to make things any weirder between the two of them – if a night apart hadn't been quite enough to dispel the obvious awkwardness that had firmly wedged itself between them like a brick wall, perhaps a full day would do the trick. As for Palom, the less opportunity Porom had to inadvertently say something incriminating in front of him, the better.

The Devil's Road was only a short walk away from the tower (much like anything else in Mysidia), and now that the second War of the Crystals was over, it was back to being open all the time for anyone to cross between the sister cities of Baron and Mysidia as they pleased. Of course, that didn't mean there was a constant stream of traffic – the Devil's Road was still considered a fairly dangerous route for the average non-magically inclined traveler – but children in Mysidia had always grown up knowing this fact, and could be trusted to not approach the mystical, yet non-descript building that housed the gateway (well, except for Palom – his recklessness had been curated at a tender age). And now that Baron's own royal family consisted entirely of mages – a first in the nation's storied eight hundred-year history – their brethren in Baron were now teaching _their_ children about the wonders (and dangers) of the Devil's Road as well.

It still marveled Porom that it was Cecil's own father who had built this interdimensional bridge between Mysidia and Baron, so very long ago. Now, whenever she crossed the threshold and saw the haunting, familiar glow of the rune that would spirit her away in the blink of an eye, her heart always fluttered as she thought about how it seemed that even before she and Cecil had been born, nearly two decades apart, that they had been fated to someday meet thanks to his father's wondrous idea to connect their two otherwise alienated nations.

 _And if I hadn't met Cecil when I was just a girl…I wouldn't have met all of my other dear, wonderful friends…_

 _…Including you, Leonora._

Porom was relieved that no one else could see the goofy, jubilant smile on her lips as she closed the door behind her, wrapping her arms around herself as she stepped gingerly onto the rune. As she felt the magic of the Devil's Road humming in her veins, she closed her eyes, picturing Baron castle's soaring spires piercing the summertime blue that always seemed to greet her when she stepped into the bustling streets of the village, no matter how foul the weather back home in Mysidia. On the clearest of days when there wasn't a cloud in the sky, the horizon itself would melt into the eastern shore where the ocean met the heavens, shining the same brilliant cerulean as Cecil – and his son Ceodore's – kind gaze.

When Porom next opened her eyes, she found herself in quite nearly the same building as before, but with just a few subtle differences that immediately indicated she had been successful in crossing over. The curtains that draped over familiar windows were just slightly ajar, letting in a thin veil of sunlight that highlighted the pearl varnish painted on her toenails. The air was earthy and sweet – Baron was situated south of a tidy forest and the Misty Valley mountain range, which meant the trade winds often bathed the village with a cool, mist-tinged breeze that felt like a dreamy kiss in the sweltering summer heat.

 _I don't spend as much time here as I would like_ , Porom thought to herself as she stepped outside, her eyes narrowing as they adjusted to the glaring sunlight. Of course, since she had taken over her role as head of Mysidia along with Palom, travel for the sake of traveling – or even just catching up with her friends – had become an impossibility. Her paranoia about Palom's reason for sending her here suddenly seemed so stupid – her brother knew she longed to get a change of scenery once in a while, and he had granted it to her. The realization made her stomach turn when she replayed her betrayal in her head over and over again…

"Porom!"

"Huh?"

Porom lifted her head, pausing where she had been absentmindedly drifting in the middle of the street. Most of the villagers had been kindly making their way around her, but one young man was staring straight up at her – had she gone any further, she would have smashed right into him. He was nearly her height, a full head of platinum blonde waves blowing every which way in the wind, and had a beaming smile that made Porom simultaneously melt and want to throw her arms around him. He was wearing a dark gray doublet belted at the waist over a pair of black cotton pants that hung just a little too long over his well-polished boots – it seemed that they had been purchased in anticipation of a near-future growth spurt. A delicate mythril silver headband was woven over his forehead, the depthless sapphire glimmering in the center the same color as his searching, light-filled eyes. Porom let out a bleat of surprise as his pale hand reached for hers, the juxtaposition of their clashing complexions reminding her of the melding shadow of a waxing crescent moon as his long fingers curled over hers.

"C-Ceodore!" Porom gasped. "You're so grown-up – I hardly recognized you!"

"Hee hee," Ceodore laughed, his voice cracking slightly as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in close. "I'm almost as tall as you now!"

"No kidding," Porom shook her head, taking a step back moments later to fully take in his astonishing height and wiry build. "What are they feeding you on your missions for the Red Wings? Or does Kain make you do extra drills to keep you in line?"

"Captain Kain is relentless," Ceodore sighed, sucking in his lower lip a bit – a childhood habit that served well to remind Porom that he was still the sweet little boy that would hide behind Rosa's legs when the Elder would take she and Palom to Baron as teenagers. "But you really didn't recognize me? I was calling your name."

"Ah, well, maybe I was a little out of it," Porom squeaked, and Ceodore tilted his head, his eyes searching hers just the way Cecil's would when he was worried about someone. She blushed, realizing there was no way in hell she could ever confide to him what was really on her mind. She and Ceodore were close, but not _that_ close – more than anything, he was just like another brother to her – albeit a more pleasant, cheerful one. She sucked in her breath, squeezing his hand. "Actually, my visit is not one of leisure – I've come to ask your father's help for some matters concerning Mysidia. With the Elder and many of his disciples gone, I'm afraid Palom and I have fallen behind on some aid requests."

"Oh!" Ceodore blinked, his smile returning immediately. "Is that all? Well, I was just returning to the castle myself – let's go together. Father should still be around for a few hours yet."

Porom chuckled – she loved how Ceodore so casually spoke of his family, as if he _wasn't_ the sole heir to the most powerful empire in the world. "Is Cecil going somewhere later?"

"It's my parents' wedding anniversary," Ceodore blushed. "They still make a big deal out of it. I don't know where they're going, but I'm not invited – they're even making Cid stay over to babysit me tonight."

"Oh Ceodore," Porom giggled, slinging her arm around his shoulders as they started to walk toward the castle. "You two will have a blast."

"I don't need a babysitter anymore…" Ceodore sighed, sinking into her. "When are people going to see that I'm an adult too?"

 _Being an adult isn't so great_ , Porom grimaced. _Trust me…_

Once they reached the castle, Ceodore led her to the throne room, unannounced. Before Porom could protest – she hadn't even had time to smooth down her wind-whipped hair – Ceodore pushed the throne room doors open, pulling her inside along with him. They found Cecil talking with one of his guards, though they both immediately paused in their conversation when Ceodore bounded in and Porom gave a sheepish half-wave.

"We'll finish later," Cecil offered to the guard, who nodded, smiling slightly as he first bowed to Cecil, then to Ceodore, before exiting. Once the doors closed behind them, Cecil broke into a wide smile, extending his arms.

"Porom! Where did Ceodore find you? It's been too long."

"In town," Porom chirped, hopping over and throwing her arms around him. He kissed her on the forehead as she inhaled his clean, familiar scent, instantly transported back to her five-year-old self on Mount Ordeals after Cecil had become a paladin and she had embraced him for the very first time, worried sick about someone that she hadn't even realized she had cared about until it had been nearly too late. After a few moments, she pulled back, smiling up at him. "Oh, and Ceodore told me about your anniversary. Congratulations – I can still remember your wedding – at least, parts of it!"

"Thank you!" Cecil laughed, patting her on the arm. "But I have a feeling you didn't come all the way over here just to pass along your well-wishes. I heard Palom and Leonora stopped through town the other day, but I didn't get a chance to see them. Is everything OK in Mysidia?"

 _A feeling…_ Porom tittered nervously. _Does he forget at times that he is basically psychic thanks to that Lunarian blood of his?_

She explained all of the work that had been piling up for herself and her twin since the Elder had left for his pilgrimage, including the Zuus that had taken up the new hobby of terrorizing the local hunters. When she was finished, Cecil crossed his arms, pressing his lips together in thought.

"It sounds like you're having a rough time – when does the Elder get back?"

"Not soon enough, I'm afraid – is there any chance you could spare a few men to help us out? I have a feeling Palom is getting itchy to make another escape, and he hinted this morning that he was going to send Leonora out, too. It may be just me again for a while…"

"Of course," Cecil frowned. "Anything I can do to help, it will be done. I'll just need to discuss it with Kain…but in the meantime, why doesn't Ceodore go back with you right away? He should be able to help."

"Really?" Ceodore gasped. "Father, you'd let me go to Mysidia on my own?"

"Sure," Cecil smiled. "I know you've been wanting to go back…seems serendipitous that you would be able to aid Porom at the same time."

"You have?" Porom blinked, spinning around to face Ceodore. "Since when?"

"Well, almost immediately after we saw Uncle Theo-, er, Golbez off," Ceodore flushed. "It was the first time I got to see my grandfather's grave on Mount Ordeals, and…I'd like to see him again, you know? Is that weird?"

"No, of course not," Porom shook her head. "I think it's wonderful. You'd climb the mountain by yourself?" Ceodore nodded, and Porom turned back to Cecil.

"I'd gladly accept Ceodore's help – Kain wouldn't mind?"

"Well…with Ceodore, maybe I'll err on the side of asking for forgiveness rather than permission," Cecil laughed. "It's a compromise for waiting to ask about the other soldiers, right? Our sister-city needs help now, after all."

"Father…" Ceodore groaned. "I'm going to be the one that pays for your naiveté later…" As his eyes drifted over Porom's, he quickly smiled. "But if you really don't mind having me…I'll help you however you need, and will climb Mount Ordeals after."

"Then it's settled!" Cecil nodded, slapping both Porom and Ceodore on the back. "Why don't you run to the shipyard and let Cid know he doesn't need to stick around tonight?"

"Gladly," Ceodore's face turned redder, and Porom had to try not to laugh – she supposed that to a teenage boy, everything one's dad said could be so embarrassing. As Ceodore turned to leave, Porom gave Cecil one last hug, sighing happily.

"Thank you again…sorry that I couldn't stay longer."

"I understand. Maybe after the Elder returns, you can bring Palom and Leonora for a longer visit. Everyone needs a vacation once in a while – even the most powerful twin prodigies in the world."

"Yeah…" Porom offered a crooked smile, lowering her head to hide the blush climbing up her cheeks. _It would be fun to take a trip with Leonora…show her everything I love about Baron…properly introduce her to all my friends here...it's not like Palom ever bothered after the war ended._ And that was about as far as her twin made it to the vicinity of her thoughts before they turned down an entirely different path.

"Come on, Porom," Ceodore pleaded, holding the door open in what she was sure was an effort to look cool and chivalrous before cancelling his babysitting date. "I just need to get a few things packed and then we can go."

"OK, OK," Porom cooed. "I'm right behind you."

They walked to the shipyard together, Ceodore chattering on about his latest mission with the Red Wings. It was a relief to Porom to only have to listen and not actively contribute to the conversation – her brain was overloading as it was with the to-do list she was mentally drawing up for her and Ceodore to tackle with their respective talents, and half of her was secretly hoping Leonora would be spirited away on the mission Palom had been hinting about while the other half was already breaking into a sweat thinking about what she would we do if she accidentally stared at Leonora two seconds longer than what was considered normal.

 _Oh god, what is the normal amount of time to look at someone if you pass them in the hall? Five seconds? Three? If I look away, she'll think I'm mad at her. If I look at her the_ _ **wrong**_ _way, she'll be creeped out._

 _Ah, what I wouldn't do to go back to a day ago when my biggest problem was the rest of my life being a total disaster – at least I could say then that my love life was non-existent and uncomplicated._

"My stars, is that Porom?"

"Sure is! But it looks like she's out of it again…"

Porom felt a sharp pain at the base of her ponytail, and she let out a yelp, spinning around and resisting the urge to unleash a back kick on her unlucky assailant. She was greeted with an obnoxious bray and a shock of coral hair jutting out of an oil-stained visor, a pair of blinking gold eyes magnified three times over behind red-rimmed goggles.

"L-Luca!" she squeaked. "What are you doing here?"

"Helping Master Cid – the Red Wings fleet needed some maintenance after Ceodore and his merry men returned from their last mission." Luca cut Ceodore with her infamous side-eye as she huffed and slid her goggles over her forehead. They left funny indentations around the apples of her cheeks that made her look more alien than dwarf and served to dampen the intimidation she was attempting to throw the prince's way.

"Hey!" Ceodore protested over his shoulder as he rounded the corner toward a workshop where an awful lot of screechy noises were pouring from the splinters in the wood – there was no doubt about who was holed up in there. "I didn't actually fly any of the ships – if you're going to blame anyone, blame Captain Kain!"

"I don't think he'd appreciate hearing that…" Luca sniggered, arching one perfectly-groomed brow. "And you know how scary he gets when he's mad…"

"Ugh," Porom shuddered, closing her eyes. "You're right about that." She had gotten to witness Kain's more…psychotic side for herself during the war. He was doing much better these days, but it didn't mean she ever wanted him to be the leader of any squadron she might find herself in.

Ceodore stuck his tongue out before disappearing into the workshop. Luca giggled and pulled off her blackened gloves, tossing them onto the grass before pulling Porom into a tight hug. "So good to see you, girl! I feel like it has been _forever_!"

"I know!" Porom squealed. "I just stopped by to ask Cecil for a favor, and he's sending Ceodore back with me to Mysidia."

"Is…your brother with you?" Luca's eyes suddenly narrowed as she gingerly nudged Porom's ponytail out of the way while still clutching the girl against her – not that Porom's svelte frame did much in the way of shielding Luca's bubblegum-pink clad curves. "He's here, isn't he?"

"No, no," Porom assured her. "Are you kidding? He relishes any excuse to get me out of his face. He's back home, probably bossing everyone around."

"Oh, well that's…good," Luca nodded, pulling away and clearing her throat. "Very good. Because if he were here…he'd have a punch in the face with his name on it."

"That's the spirit," Porom laughed nervously. "I suppose we've gone from tepid tolerance back to rage in the short summer we've been apart?"

"It changes hour by hour," Luca admitted, crossing her arms. "I can't help it – he's the first guy that ripped my heart out, crushed it in his fist, and then stomped in the bloody puddle like a kid playing in the rain." She sighed dreamily as Porom's upper lip curled in disgust. "You never forget your first love, girl!"

"I…I suppose not," Porom muttered. She did wonder at times if she and Luca occupied the same planet. It had been true that Luca and Palom had been a thing – however one wanted to define that, depending on the strength of their gag reflex – on and off in the years leading up to the second war of the crystals. But by the time Palom and Leonora had met, Luca and Palom had gone through yet another vicious breakup, and everyone caught in the crossfire had thought for sure that it was for the final time – and no one in their right mind would have called it "love" in the first place.

But Porom had to give Luca some credit – the few times she had been in the same room as Leonora, she had been nothing but cordial, and had even half-heartedly given Leonora her blessing to go after Palom while they were stranded on the True Moon (although Porom had a feeling that particular event was spurred by the fear that all of them were about to die).

"But enough about Palom – a dwarven princess with her own airship like _myself_ has plenty of men angling for her attention. No offense, but your brother is barely a ping on my radar."

"None taken." In Porom's perfect world, Palom wouldn't be a ping on _anyone's_ radar.

"But what about you?" Luca's almond-colored lips curled into a wicked smile as she flicked Porom's forearm. "Seeing anyone cute?"

"Wha?" Porom gulped, her eyes widening. "N-No…why would you ask that?" She quickly glanced behind her, praying to whatever gods might be listening that no one else was around.

"Ho, ho, ho," Luca giggled. "I knew it. I could tell as soon as I saw you – you've got the glow. You're totally crushing on someone!"

"N-N-No!" Porom squealed, raising her hands. "It's nothing like that."

"Oh, it is _everything_ like that!" Luca exclaimed, grabbing one of Porom's hands and yanking her toward the ship she had been working on. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this day to come – finally, I can talk shop with one of my very best friends!"

"…What!?" Porom squirmed under Luca's grip, even though it was an utterly worthless effort – Luca was as strong as an ox with all that dwarven blood. "Talk shop? I don't know anything about airships!"

"No, no – the one thing I love more than airships – boys!"

 _Oh dear_ , Porom grimaced. _And once again, I'm going to be a major disappointment to someone else in my life. This has to be a world record._

"What about Ceodore?" Porom tried as they clomped below deck. "He'll be looking for me!"

"He's not going anywhere without you," Luca mewed. "Now come on – spill!"

"Uhhh…" Porom blushed, resting her hands on her hips. They were draped in the shadows of boiler room, and Luca's face had taken on a demonic glare from the auxiliary boiler that was churning beside her. _The faster I tell her something, the faster I can get out of here._ "What do you want to know?"

"Let's start with how long this has been going on."

"Well, _nothing_ has been going on," Porom murmured, her eyes immediately finding the floor. "But…I don't know! Maybe longer than I've realized…but it just seemed like recently that I've noticed these feelings."

"Oh, the slow burn…those are the best," Luca giggled. "So, someone you've known for a while?"

"Y-Yeah. A little while."

Luca pressed her fingers together, brows knitted. "Porom! You are totally red! Have you told him how you feel yet? Wait, do I know him? Is it that cute ninja boy that's training under Edge?"

"What!? No!" Porom cried. _Where had THAT come from?_ "First of all, he's like, a million years younger than me. And secondly…just, no."

"No, I don't know him?"

"Luca," Porom moaned, covering her face. "Please…this is so embarrassing."

"Oh, come on," Luca smiled, gently yanking one of her hands away. "I'm sorry, I just like hearing about your life…" she trailed off when she saw the tears pooling in the corners of her friend's eyes. "Porom…!"

"Ah...no, I'm sorry," Porom sniffled. "I'm just…well, it's _all_ just a little complicated."

"Is it something I said?" Luca frowned, and Porom shook her head quickly, sighing. _I can trust Luca, right? She is one of my dearest friends…_

"No. It's not you. The truth is…I _really_ like this person. I think it's way more than just a crush." Porom drew in a breath so deep that it felt like her lungs were on the brink of bursting inside her chest. _Just say it…say it!_ "And…recently – very recently – I…I kissed _her_. And…it didn't go well."

Luca blinked, and Porom could practically hear the wheels grinding to a halt in her friend's head. She lifted her gaze warily, their eyes meeting over the pulsing throb of the steam that suddenly unleashed itself upon them with a low, menacing 'hiss'. She watched patiently as the blood drained from Luca's face – the poor dwarf now resembled one of Cecil's long-lost, lily-white, Lunarian cousins.

"…Really?" was all Luca could manage to choke out.

Porom nodded, wiping away her tears. Luca looked like she had taken hold of the wrong end of a handsaw, and it took every fiber of strength Porom had left to push through the remainder of her confession. "Yeah. And…now everything's all weird."

"…Oh…Porom…I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Porom mumbled, turning away. "It's not your fault that I'm screwed up."

"But you're not!" Luca cried. "It doesn't matter _who_ you love…if something doesn't work out, it still hurts the same. I, um…I shouldn't have implied anything with my meddling." She chewed on her lower lip, her fingers nervously drumming against the toolbelt stretched across her hips. "What…um…what did _she_ say after you kissed?"

"Nothing," Porom sniffled. "And that's the problem. I don't know what she's thinking anymore. And all _I_ can think is I might have ruined something really wonderful."

Luca smiled slightly. "But…you could think of it another way, right? Maybe she was just surprised and needed time to process things. You kissed, but…did you actually tell her how you feel?"

"…Not coherently," Porom frowned. "There was so much I wanted to say after, but…there just wasn't a good time. We've been acting like it hasn't happened since."

"Well, there you go!" Luca exclaimed, and Porom raised her eyes, wrapping her arms tighter around herself.

"Huh?"

"You've got to tell her why you kissed her," Luca shrugged, as if she were explaining something as simple as casting a "Cure" spell. "Maybe she thought you weren't being serious, so she didn't know how to react."

"I don't know…" Porom closed her eyes. _I was taking it pretty seriously._ "Do you think she really wants to hear anything I have to say after everything that has happened?"

"Of course!" Luca huffed. "If someone up and kissed me without any explanation, I'd be _dying_ to talk to them again. And if this girl is anything like you, she's probably way too shy to bring it up. You need to properly confess your feelings and put everything out on the table. That's the only way you're going to resolve this."

"And if she doesn't feel that way about me…?"

"You would want her to tell the truth too, right?" Luca shook her head. "And if she doesn't return your feelings…then tell Palom to take care of things at home, come _right_ back here, and you can cry on my shoulder, for as long as you need. A broken heart isn't so awful as long as you're not alone."

"Luca…" Porom bit down on her lip in an effort not to smile. "…Thank you. For everything. It was foolish of me to be afraid to tell you."

"Hardly foolish – you're just too much in your head for your own good at times. I hate to sound even remotely like your cow of a brother, but you really should try caring a little less about what everyone else around you thinks."

"…I'll work on it. One thing at a time."

"Right," Luca giggled, grabbing Porom's hands in her own. "Now let's go find Ceodore before he starts raising the alarms. I do want to point out one _small_ thing before you leave, however."

"What?" Porom raised an eyebrow.

"That I was totally right about you being in love – it's written all over your face!"

"I certainly hope that's not the case," Porom blushed. "I think that's a special talent only you have. No one else has said a thing."

"Bah," Luca snorted, and Porom found herself blinking at the sudden burst of sunlight as they surfaced on the airship's deck. "And who exactly have you talked to today? Palom, Cecil and Ceodore, right? Surely, you've picked up on the notion by now that men are utterly oblivious, even when something is happening directly under their noses."

"Is that so…?" Porom blew her bangs out of her eyes as she gave Luca's hand a hesitant squeeze. _I wasn't entirely truthful with her…but if she knew Leonora was the one I had kissed…it would add an unnecessary layer of complexity to this mess. Would the part of Luca that hates Palom be happy that I've inserted myself into his love life? Or would the part of Luca that still loves him be angry that I betrayed him?_

"Let's hope that theory holds true…"

* * *

"Ugh…" Ceodore bent down and clutched his knees, sweat-dampened waves of hair falling over his face as he gasped for breath. "Sorry – I just need a moment. I'm still not used to traversing the Devil's Road."

"It's OK," Porom smiled, tracing small circles on the part of Ceodore's back that was exposed beneath his knapsack with her fingernail. It was a comforting exercise that had always made her body sink into a relaxing state when she had learned to temper her stamina for crossing the Devil's Road as a child. "Just breathe easy, you did great."

"Thank you…" Ceodore sighed, and Porom could feel the knots in the back of his neck unclenching beneath her fingertips. "I'll master this someday, right…?"

"Certainly," Porom nodded. "You're still coming into your own as a mage – you'd do well to give yourself a little credit."

When he twisted around to smile up at her, she felt her heart clench painfully in her chest, mid-beat.

 _Heh, I am such a hypocrite._

When they returned to the Tower of Prayer, they were immediately greeted by Palom, which filled Porom's stomach with a mess of butterflies – had he been _waiting_ for them? She caught herself peering into the stairwell behind him to see if Leonora was trailing behind since she had seemingly taken on the role as his de facto second shadow, but the girl was nowhere to be found.

"Welcome home, sis! Nice to see you, Prince Ceodore."

"Lord Palom," Ceodore nodded. It didn't escape Porom's notice that Ceodore was comfortable enough around her to forego titles. Palom stuck his hands in his jacket pockets, his trademark smirk lighting up his face.

"You'll be pleased to hear that I've already dispatched every mage we could spare to address most of our foreign aid requests – and another one came in from Mist just before you returned."

"Mist?" Porom blinked. "Is everything OK with Rydia?"

"It seems so, since the letter came from her," Palom said, retrieving a piece of paper and handing it over. "There was a landslide in the northern portion of the valley and apparently it woke up a horde of sleeping nasties – or the mountain might have been what was keeping them trapped in the first place."

"Huh," Porom muttered, smoothing the letter and silently skimming it as Ceodore peered anxiously over her arm. "I see. Rydia's worried that getting the Eidolons involved might cause more damage if the mountain is still unstable, and she doesn't want to leave Cuore and the villagers alone in case any of the monsters decide to pay a visit."

"Didn't an Eidolon cause the original earthquake that cut the Misty Valley off from Damcyan all those years ago?" Ceodore asked, and Palom and Porom nodded simultaneously.

"Yes, which is why Rydia is being so cautious," Porom folded the letter back up, sighing. "Who are you thinking about sending, brother?"

"Not thinking – I've already taken care of it," Palom grinned. "This job has Leonora's name all over it – she can provide support with her white magic if something goes wrong and blow the monsters away with her black magic. She's preparing to depart as we speak."

"O-oh," Porom blinked. "I…I suppose that's good."

"It's not good, it's _perfect_ ," Palom rolled his eyes. "This is what being a sage is all about, right?"

"Er, yes," Porom reluctantly conceded. _What the hell else am I supposed to say to that?_

Ceodore found himself staring at the two of them, the corner of his mouth twitching. Porom cleared her throat, awkwardly slinging her arm around the prince's shoulders. "And Ceodore here is going to hunt the beasts in the forest – he'll make his way to Mount Ordeals after to visit Kluya's memorial."

"Oh, really?" Palom's eyes sparkled. "Do you want company?"

"Ah, no, I'll be fine," Ceodore said quickly. "It's something that I need to do by myself…you know?"

Much to Porom's surprise, Palom didn't argue at all – instead, he solemnly nodded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I get it – you remind me of me when I was your age – I can respect your sense of adventure. Here's a little advice, Your Highness – take what's yours while you still can, before you're trapped in your backwater hometown, issuing orders for menial tasks that don't take advantage of even a fraction of your God-given genius." Ceodore's face paled, and Porom could feel the poor boy shrinking underneath her grip.

"Oh god," Porom muttered, pressing her fingers to her temple. "You'd better pray really hard when you get to the top of Mount Ordeals that whatever is left of your grandfather's sacred light will wash away _any_ traces of Palom that he sees within you."

"Yes, ma'am," Ceodore whispered under his breath.

"Well, good luck, Ceodore," Palom shrugged. "Oh, and thanks ahead of time. I'm heading out – I've got my own business to attend to."

"Should we meet up for dinner tonight?" Porom asked. "We should send Ceodore off to Mount Ordeals properly, right?"

"I'll leave it in your capable hands," Palom smirked, waving her off. "See ya later." And with that, he disappeared in a dramatic plume of smoke that made both Porom and Ceodore break into choking gasps.

"Grrr…" Porom growled, her eyes watering. "I hate it when he does that!" Ceodore looked up at her, smiling weakly.

" _I'll_ have dinner with you, Porom – anytime."

"Thanks," she sighed. "Good luck with the Zuu. You're sure you'll be OK on your own?"

"Positive," Ceodore winked. "Don't worry so much."

"Why do people keep telling me that?"

* * *

"Porom…"

 _Who's there…?_

Porom lifted her head, blinking. She found her palms dotted with minuscule grains of sand as she raised her hands, and realized she was laying out on a pearl-sanded beach, moonlight sprinkled over the shimmering obsidian spill of ocean before her.

 _A dream?_ She had never seen the beaches of Mysidia look quite like this before – not that she had spent a lot of time combing the shores after midnight. A crescent sliver of luster was hanging high in the star-punctuated sky, the only sound ringing in her ears the burble of the ocean lapping against the coast.

She closed her eyes, heaving a sigh as she rolled over onto her back. Strands of the hair fallen loose from her ponytail were mixing with the inky black of the tide, the water tingling at the nape of her neck before drawing back into the sea.

"Porom?"

A shroud of gold fell over her, and Leonora's face materialized above her own, a pop of glossy magenta reflecting the glare of the stars as her lips formed a small, confused smile.

"Leonora!" Porom gulped, her gaze torn between focusing upon the darkened pools of gray beneath Leonora's sweeping lashes and the moonlit curve of her mouth. "What are you doing here? Where are we?"

"I'm here because you called for me," Leonora breathed, leaning in closer. Her sea-swept curls brushed over Porom's exposed collarbone, sending a shiver ricocheting down her spine. Porom couldn't help but run her fingers over Leonora's ivory cheeks, her fingertips entwining in the wispy baby hairs splayed over the lobes of her ears.

"…I did?" Porom blinked, the voice escaping from her lips much huskier than she was anticipating. The closer Leonora drew to her, the faster Porom could feel the blood rushing from her head to her hips – when the crook of Leonora's knee nudged her inner thigh, Porom nearly screamed right then and there.

"I heard you," Leonora whispered, her words practically imprinting themselves upon Porom's lips. "Or did I dream it?"

"N-No…" Porom gasped, biting her lip. "Please, don't let this be a dream."

 _Tell her how you feel…tell her!_

Leonora's head dipped out of sight, and Porom felt a feverish trail explode along the curve of her neck, her body arching to meet Leonora's as her arms snaked around the girl's back.

"Leonora…" Porom murmured, her eyes sliding shut. "There's something I have to tell you…" As much as the _last_ thing she wanted to be doing was talking, she couldn't bring herself to go any further without first getting her brain to shut up.

"Mmmm?" Leonora's silky pout reverberated dangerously close to the neckline of Porom's dress, and it took everything Porom had to swallow back the moan in her throat and replace it with actual words.

"Yes…I…I think I…"

 _Knock-knock-knock!_

"Lady Porom? Are you awake?"

 _Oh damnit…!_

Porom's eyes snapped open, and she bolted up in bed, turning toward her closed door that was rattling on its hinges.

"I'm awake now…come in!"

The door slid open, and an apprentice white mage named Mia shyly stepped in, her forest-green hair pulled over one robed shoulder in a massive plait.

"Sorry to disturb you, ma'am, but you had asked to be advised when Prince Ceodore returned."

"Oh…oh!" Porom blinked, almost leaping out of bed but thinking better of it when she realized her dream may have left her in more of a disheveled state than she cared to broadcast – she could feel the tunic she had changed back into upon her return to her bedroom chaffing uncomfortably against her bare chest, and made a point of keeping her sheets wrapped tighter around her. "Thank you. Where is he now? Did he seem OK?"

"Oh yes, he's quite energetic – it would seem he was successful in everything you asked him to do. I've shown him to his room, and let him know that dinner would be ready soon. But I've tried searching everywhere for Lord Palom, and he's nowhere to be found."

"Figures he would ditch us," Porom muttered.

"What was that?"

"Um, nothing. Thank you for the update. I'll be down shortly."

"Very well!" Mia chirped, closing the door behind her. Porom sank into her headboard, staring up at the ceiling as she let her sheets pool into her lap.

When she had made her way back to her room earlier, she had made a diligent effort to sort through the abandoned folder of requests Porom had previously bequeathed him. To Palom's credit, he hadn't been lying about taking care of everything while she had been in Baron – every single file had been scribbled with someone's name in his childish scrawl. With nothing left to do except to wait for Ceodore's safe return, she decided to pick up a project she had started long ago but had been forced to abandon when she and Palom had started to be given more and more responsibility related to their new duties. She turned to her desk, where she had been diligently infusing Protect and Shell magic into a silver-plated stud earring that had been left behind during one of the many visits the Tower of Prayer would host for foreign schools of magic and had never been claimed by its owner.

She and Palom had experimented with creating their own protective relics as children as a hobby, but it had been a field Porom had become deeply intrigued with after she had first met Cecil and had gotten to see all the amazing Lunarian treasures he and the others had brought back from the moon after their battle with Zeromus. She knew nothing she would ever create could possibly be in the same class as an ancient, magic-infused alien race…but it was still fun to try. And she had realized upon seeing the abandoned earring again that it would be perfect for Ceodore and his journey to Mount Ordeals tomorrow morn – maybe it would grant him some extra protection.

 _I must have gotten sleepy when I did the infusion,_ Porom thought, smiling slightly as she tossed away her sheets. She couldn't even remember finding her way into the bed and falling asleep, but the dream she had sunk into after the fact had made the disruption to her work well worth it. She glanced across the bedroom toward Leonora's empty bed, and could feel her pulse fluttering like a hummingbird's wings beneath the contour of her wrist.

 _I wonder how long she'll be away,_ she frowned. _I hope Palom was right about her being OK on her own…I know Rydia will be there if something happens, but…_

She peered down at her shirt and blushed at her obvious excitement, realizing it was probably a blessing in disguise that Leonora wasn't around. She jumped up, making a dash to her wardrobe and pulling out a silk camisole to wear under her tunic for dinner. She was so preoccupied with trying to make herself appear normal that she bolted from the room without Ceodore's gift, leaping down the tower steps two at a time so she could pass off the flush in her cheeks to her well-known lack of cardiovascular fitness.

As she slipped into the crystal chamber, she almost didn't notice the lone figure leaning against one of the glass-trimmed columns that surrounded the dais until a small voice called out to her, just as she was reaching for the latch of the next door that would take her to the atrium.

"Porom…"

 _…What? That sounds just like the voice from my dream…_

She spun around, blinking as she tried to adjust her vision to the dazzling spectacle of light that ricocheted off the mirrored tiles and ceiling thanks to the Crystal of Water's continuous shed of divine luminance. The figure's searching gaze filled the crystal before the rest of her stepped forward, and Porom lowered her hand, the latch gently clicking back shut.

"Leonora! I thought you were already gone. What are you doing here?"

"Palom changed his mind about sending me to Mist," Leonora frowned, her eyes brimming with the crystal's light as she crossed the dais. "Now he's going instead of me, first thing tomorrow morning."

"What?" Porom huffed. "Jeeze…leaving me alone again so soon? He has nerve – no _wonder_ he's been avoiding me tonight! Sneaky bast–"

"Er, well…h-he said you wouldn't be alone if you h-had me," Leonora stammered. "W-which may not be much better than actual 'alone', huh?"

Porom shook her head. "You know I didn't mean it like that. In fact, I'm relieved he's looking out for you."

"Me too," Leonora relented, pursing her lips. "Anyway, I'm sorry for interrupting you. I was just doing some meditation before going to bed."

"You weren't interrupting anything," Porom said quickly, realizing that her voice was on the verge of cracking. "I was on my way to meet Ceodore for dinner…" She smacked her palm against her forehead. "…And I just remembered I left a gift for him back in our room."

"Prince Ceodore is here?" Leonora blinked. "That's wonderful that he was able to come all this way to assist you two."

"You should join us for dinner – he would be happy to see you. He's climbing Mount Ordeals tomorrow – I think he could use all the encouragement he can get."

"Is he?" Leonora smiled slightly. "Prince Ceodore is such a sweet boy. I…I would like to visit, if that's OK."

"It's more than OK," Porom smiled. "Go on down to the dining hall. I'll be right back."

Porom promptly turned on her heel to go back up the stairs, not able to help but feel just a little giddier than she had let on in front of Leonora that Palom had changed his mind.

 _After we get Ceodore on his way tomorrow, maybe she and I can finally clear the air. Luca's right – I just need to be honest about my feelings and put everything out there in the open. She deserves the truth, no matter how much it may hurt me in the end._

 _And if she leaves Mysidia…because of me? I'll have to own up to it. To Palom, and everyone else…_

Porom grabbed the earring from the tray on her desk, dropping it into a velvet satchel and tying it around her wrist. When she returned to the crystal chamber, she nearly smashed into Leonora, who was waiting nearly inches away from the pathway of the swinging door.

"Whoa!" Porom blinked. "I thought you went downstairs?"

Leonora's gaze shifted behind her, toward the darkened stairwell that would take them to dinner. Porom could detect the quiver in Leonora's breath even before she mumbled her reply.

"Porom…there is something I would like to discuss."

 _Oh, no. Maybe this isn't going to wait until tomorrow._

 _But I still don't know what to say...I thought I'd have one more night to talk myself out of saying anything too stupid…_

"All right," Porom replied, clenching her jaw as she felt the first prick of tears sting the back of her eyes. "Where should we go to talk?"

"Here is fine," Leonora swallowed, and Porom caught her glance back at the stairwell one last time. "Maybe…er…behind the dais would be best."

 _She's terrified of anyone hearing us,_ Porom gulped. _Yep…this is not going to be good._

They slipped behind the crystal, and Porom watched as Leonora crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes glued to the floor. She could see the toes of Leonora's slippers peeking out from beneath her gown, the ties of one the ribbons beginning to fray. A few beats of silence passed before Porom realized that Leonora wasn't going to be the first to say anything, even though she had been the one who wanted to have their "discussion".

"Is something the matter?" Porom finally asked, and Leonora's eyes snapped to hers, the fierceness of her normally placid gray gaze so scintillating thanks to the crystal's light that for a moment, Porom felt as if she were staring directly into the glare of the full moon.

 _Don't make me say it,_ Porom silently pleaded as she searched Leonora's stare for any kind of hint as to what she could possibly be thinking. _Don't make me ask if it was our kiss that has turned you into this nervous wreck._

"…Yes, something is not quite right," Leonora conceded, biting her lip. "I think you understand what I mean…you've been acting strangely, too. Since last night, that is."

"I…I have?" Porom blinked, genuinely taken aback. Sure, she had given herself a thorough mental beat down on and off throughout the day, but she had thought after she had tried to apologize earlier that morning that she had been as normal as could be – that was all she had been daring to hope for – a _semblance_ of normalcy.

"Yes," Leonora whispered. "I haven't been able to get what you said this morning out of my mind. And then you left for Baron so quickly…like you were trying to avoid me."

 _Well, that last part is kind of true – but only because you looked as if talking to me in the classroom was the equivalent of chewing on razor blades._ "What did I say to offend?" Porom frowned. "I wasn't avoiding you…I just…just…"

"You said you were 'sorry'," Leonora burst, suddenly snatching Porom's hands in her own. "…Does that mean you regret what we did?"

"…What!?" Porom squeaked, her fingers falling limp under Leonora's grip. " _We_ …?"

"Do you regret it?" Leonora asked again, drawing Porom closer. She stumbled forward, not bothering to push away the hair that had fallen loose from her ponytail and into her eyes. If she extracted her fingers from Leonora's, she feared she might never find her way back to them again. "Tell me the truth, Porom."

 _The truth…the truth is…_

"I didn't…I mean, I don't," Porom admitted, shaking her head. "But I didn't mean to hurt you… I thought you were angry."

"Ugh…!" Leonora whimpered, looking away. "I am…at myself. For betraying Palom. For making you feel as if you had to apologize. I…I've cast innumerable sins against my two dearest friends in such a short time…" Her eyes began to water as she stared up at the crystal. "But no matter how much I pray…I can't seem to bring calm to my heart."

 _Leonora…_ Porom bit her lip. _Everything I was afraid of happening is unfolding before my eyes. She's going to run herself out of here because she won't be able to stand looking at either myself or Palom much longer._

"You didn't betray Palom. That cross is mine to bear, and mine alone. I…I took advantage of a vulnerable moment. I would have reacted differently if I had the ability to rewind time."

"So, you _do_ regret it?" Leonora sniffled, and Porom sighed, looking up at the mirrored ceiling. She was met with her own sorry reflection, her eyes blue pools of fear punctuated with motes of crystalline brilliance. Across from her, she could see Leonora's bowed head, tumbles of corn silk framing that lovely face. And between them, a pair of white, shaking hands, clinging to one another for dear life.

"I told you already, I don't regret _anything_ ," Porom told Leonora's reflection, the flush of pink that had come to life across the bridge of her nose at the thought of so much of Leonora's warm skin meeting hers easily confirming that there was no way she could be lying. "I…I really like you, Leonora. I'll do whatever it takes to make this right. If that means telling Palom that it was my fault, I'll do it."

"N-no!" Leonora squeaked. "You can't…you can't tell Palom, no matter what."

"Why?" Porom sighed, dragging her gaze away from the ceiling and turning back to her. "He won't blame you for something _I_ did. Let him get mad at me. I deserve it. It's nothing I haven't dealt with before."

"B-because…I still don't have the answer I've been praying for."

"The answer to what?"

"…To why the thought of you regretting last night fills me with such… _dread_."

Porom could feel the acid rising in her throat.

 _She is not saying what you think she is saying. She's confused._

"Because we're friends," Porom said weakly, the relentless sting of tears threatening to break through with each pained word that fell from her lips. "I felt the same way – I was devastated that I had done something to potentially ruin our friendship. I've been so happy since you came to stay with us, and the thought of doing something that would make you want to go away broke me."

"I love it here," Leonora gasped, her eyes widening. "It would…it would take a lot to make me want to leave. But even so…" She chewed on her lip, and Porom tried not to pay too much mind to the way the curve of Leonora's cheek glimmered just so in the light of the crystal as she drew the berry-stained flesh of her lower lip beneath her incisor. "…If it were that simple, I know my heart would not be steeped in such chaos." She took a step closer. "And in the dying echo of my prayers…it's _your name_ I always hear."

"Leonora…" Porom whimpered. "Please…don't do this. It _can_ be simple. You're just confused."

"I _am_ confused," Leonora blinked, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. "…I don't understand what's happening to me." She pushed herself up on her toes, pressing her palms tighter into Porom's as she brushed her lower lip against the white mage's mouth.

 _No, no, no…_ Porom's brain protested even as she leaned down, gingerly lowering their clasped hands to their hips so that she could close the final inches-wide gap between them. She lightly brushed the tip of her tongue over Leonora's offering, shivering as the taste of something earthy and sweet and now torturously familiar exploded inside her mouth. Leonora's eyes glittered with a strange, haunting glow as Porom pressed deeper, tenderly drawing the girl's pout inside her own mouth with the edges of her teeth before relinquishing her hands and clutching the curve of Leonora's lower back.

 _There's no doubt now…this is far from a dream…_ Porom thought deliriously as her fingers sank into the folds of Leonora's gown, urgently searching for lithe form of the woman hidden underneath. Her heart nearly burst out her chest when she felt Leonora's hands trail up the side of her waist, trembling fingertips hovering precariously below her rib cage.

A few moments later, Leonora pulled away, inhaling sharply. Porom watched her carefully, a dismayed moan escaping her lips despite her militaristic efforts to control herself. In that moment, if someone had so much as tapped her on the shoulder with a feather, she was positive she would shatter into a million pieces.

 _Oh gods. Maybe I can't do this…maybe I can't just be her friend…_

"Are you still confused?" Porom finally asked, and Leonora's lips twitched slightly as lowered her head.

"More than ever…"

 _Well, I'm not,_ Porom thought, blinking away the first wave of tears. _And I don't think I can do this… Luca said I should be honest, but…!_

"Leonora…" Porom murmured as she pulled her closer, pressing her lips to her hair. She noticed that instead of shrinking away, Leonora seemed to relax beneath her fingers – she could feel the rigidness of her spine slowly give way. _Just tell her how you feel and be done with it._ "…Being with you makes me feel as if I'm in a living dream. If this isn't what you want…I do understand, and I'll do whatever needs done to ease your heart."

 _Even if that means pushing her into my brother's arms…? I think if I ever had to see her like this with Palom…I would_ _ **lose**_ _it…!_

"Ease my heart…" Leonora choked out a strangled laugh, her fingernails digging half-moon indents into Porom's skin. It stung, but Porom dared not breathe a word about it. "…Just now…my heart was the most peaceful it has been in weeks. So, what do you suppose that means?"

Porom closed her eyes, mumbling against Leonora's scalp as she filled her lungs with another hit of her summery sweet perfume. She could no longer tell if her heart was pounding so fast that it had just become one constant, rhythmic blur, or if had simply ceased to beat altogether. Everything inside of her had gone still, her tendons filling with the same soothing warmth that she got every time she sank into a bath, warmth that she was directly absorbing from Leonora's radiance. If she pulled away, surely, she would collapse into a cold heap of lead to the crystalline tiles below, her strings cut like a marionette's. She barely recognized her voice, throaty and desperate, when she finally managed to answer.

"I couldn't possibly know…but I want to be the one that helps you find out."

"I-I'd like that," Leonora whispered, and Porom could feel the girl's airy breath reverberating over her collarbone, imprinting her wishes upon Porom's senses forevermore. Silently, Porom nuzzled the tip of her nose deeper into Leonora's hair, trailing feathery kisses down her temple, then her jaw, and then the smooth stretch of skin just beneath, gently flicking her tongue against Leonora's fluttering pulse as she gingerly sucked. Her more rational side, which had not yet been completely drowned by the desperate plea of her heart to consume Leonora whole, was urging her to be as gentle as possible as to not leave a mark.

 _There can never be evidence of_ _ **us**_ _…at least not outwardly._

"Mmmm…" Leonora murmured, sliding her arms around Porom's neck and entwining her fingers in a spill of her pink hair from her ponytail. "Just a little more…"

 _Oh my gods,_ Porom shivered, moving her hands to Leonora's waist and gently guiding her backward with the force of her body until she had pressed Leonora into the dais – she needed some leverage to ensure Leonora wouldn't fall away. The stunning chill of the glass caused Leonora to arch her back in surprise, and when Porom felt the twin swells of Leonora's chest rise to meet her own, only a few millimeters of gauzy fabric acting as a barrier between them, she had to clamp her mouth to Leonora's to keep herself from crying out. Leonora eagerly met the kiss, pulling Porom's head down closer and shifting beneath her hands so that their hips met in an explosion of friction that took Porom's breath away.

 _I can feel every beat of her heart,_ Porom thought, her eyes sliding shut as she willed her hands away from Leonora's hips, instead letting them drift further down the curve of her ass and giving a hesitant squeeze to test Leonora's reaction. Leonora moaned into Porom's mouth, and when she tried again, her fingers probing as deeply as the constraining fabric of Leonora's gown would allow, she was rewarded with yet another moan that made her hips throb so painfully that she was terrified she would implode into stardust right then and there.

The images from her sordid dreams had been flooding her mind in between kisses like puzzle pieces finally falling into place, and they were slowly transforming into tantalizingly vulgar fantasies of everything Porom wanted to do to Leonora – and what her body was aching for Leonora to do in response. She could feel the delicate prodding of Leonora's chest against her own, awed at the synchronicity of their bodies but also desperately fighting off the urge to disrobe her right then and there and take each of those delicious curves between her teeth.

 _Leonora... If this doesn't stop soon, I don't know what might happen…_

As if Porom were telegraphing her depraved musings, Leonora slowly dragged one hand away from Porom's neck, her fingertips leaving in their wake a trail of fire that ignited over Porom's shoulder and collarbone before pausing at the rise of her breast that was peeking from beneath the sloping neckline of her tunic. Even with her eyes closed, Porom could picture the way the baby pink of Leonora's nails glowed against the rise of her skin, and she eagerly pressed against Leonora's fingertips, muttering against her mouth.

"…It's all right."

Much to Porom's surprise, Leonora complied, her thumb barely drifting over the taut flesh through Porom's top that sent a spasm ricocheting between her legs and caused her eyes to snap open – she wondered by the way Leonora's pupils had suddenly transformed into darkened pools if she could sense what that slightest of touch was igniting in Porom's sordid imagination.

Suddenly, the distant pounding of footsteps rang out, and Porom and Leonora tore away from each other, eyes wide and faces white as snow as they both spun toward the closed door behind them.

"Oh…oh no…" Leonora gulped, and Porom shook her head, quickly straightening her top and grabbing Leonora's hand to pull her out from behind the dais.

"Don't worry – it's just someone shuffling around in the dormitory. Probably the maid turning down beds for the night. L-let's get to dinner."

"Er, yes," Leonora blinked, her other hand flying to her face. "Do I look…?"

"You look fine," Porom flushed, although that was the understatement of the century. To anyone else, it would just look as if Leonora had breathlessly rushed downstairs so that she didn't miss the beginning of dinner. But only Porom knew that the rise of color in Leonora's cheeks, the hurried rush of her breath, and the way the tiny curls on the back of her neck were now stuck to her skin, soaked in sweat, was from her, and her alone – and just the very _thought_ of that made her head spin. How the hell was she supposed to function for the rest of the evening?

 _What I wouldn't do to turn back time and tell Ceodore that we should have met for breakfast instead…_

"Y-You look fine too," Leonora mumbled, biting her lip with a teasing glint in her gaze. Porom squeezed her hand, leaning down so that only the tips of their noses touched.

"Leonora…did we go too far…?"

Leonora shook her head quickly, squeezing Porom's hand back assuredly and offering a secret smile that made the white mage weak in the knees.

"I need you…to keep _helping_ me. If that's OK."

 _It's way more than OK,_ Porom thought, another pang throbbing between her legs. _Maybe she really does like me the way I like her…you can't kiss someone like that and not feel anything for them…right?_

They wordlessly dropped hands, Porom mindlessly fumbling with the long-forgotten relic she had tied around her wrist as they made their way down the stairs to the dining room.

* * *

To be continued in 3: _To Flower_


	3. 3: To Flower

3: To Flower

" _Please_ be careful, OK?"

Ceodore's blush reached to the tips of his ears as Porom gifted him with another embrace, the prince's hands awkwardly twitching a few inches above her crown of hair before finally seeking reprieve on her shoulder blades. As soon as word had reached Porom that Ceodore was preparing for his departure to Mount Ordeals, she had leapt out of bed and thrown on the first thing she could find that would make her decent in the shortest amount of time, which just happened to be her apprentice robes. She suspected they had made their way to the front of her wardrobe because she had loaned them out to an unprepared student and had in turn, forgotten they existed until they had miraculously found their way back in her laundry. Since it had been many years since she had been considered an apprentice of white magic by any stretch of the imagination, the clothes were a little ill-fitting – the knee-length flared robe that had been stylish when Porom was in school had shortened into a thigh-grazing skirt thanks to her teenage growth spurt, and she had had to let out the coral ribbon that cinched the open V-neck so that she could actually breathe.

Peering over the room divider jammed between Leonora's and her wardrobe as she straightened the hood bunched up beneath her hair, she saw that Leonora had already left, her bedspread tucked in neatly and her dresser empty, and felt her stomach twist into a knot. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting to happen after their encounter last night, but she could practically taste the disappointment flooding her senses.

She had attributed the look of shock on Ceodore's face when she had caught up to him outside to the fact that she had neither brushed her hair, which was still hanging crookedly in last night's ponytail, or washed her face, her lips still stained with the seemingly infinite glasses of Bacchus Wine she had consumed to get herself out of her own head after what had gone down in the crystal room. But since she hadn't bothered to glance at a mirror in her rush downstairs, it didn't occur to her that the teenage boy was thinking about something else entirely different about her minimalist appearance.

Porom pulled back and checked one last time to make sure Ceodore's new earring was still in his ear, smiling as she gingerly tapped the curve of his lobe. His excitement when she had presented him with the gift, along with the wine, had made her strangely nostalgic for stories about the old days – the time before the second war when she didn't have quite so many responsibilities and wasn't keeping a massively selfish secret from her twin. As a result, she had spent their dinner pumping Ceodore for gossip about Baron, the Underworld and Fabul (though she couldn't get him to tell her anything about his alleged courtship with Princess Ursula – it was as if he had suddenly been struck by a Silence spell), and would occasionally sneak glances at Leonora, who became giddier and more radiant (in Porom's humble opinion) with each glass of wine poured. Porom felt strange directing any of her attention on Leonora, even though Palom hadn't bothered to show up, thus her total dedication to sweet Ceodore throughout the evening.

"I promise everything will be fine," the prince assured her, tucking his hair behind his ear so that he could show off his new relic to the world. "You and Father have taught me every white magic spell I could ever need to fight off the undead."

"Well, that may be so…" Porom frowned, crossing her arms. "…But are you sure you don't want company? We can spare a mage or two while we wait for Cecil to send the other soldiers that were going to help us out."

"I'm sure," he nodded, smiling more. "I can do this, Porom – I gotta grow up some time, you know. Besides, the mountain isn't quite as dangerous as it used to be, right?"

"Uhh…" Porom grimaced. That was _kind of_ true for someone of his abilities, being that he was the son of the lord paladin and a legendary white mage, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to worry about him the entire time.

The doors to the Tower of Prayer opened behind them as they said their goodbyes, and Leonora stepped out, her eyes instantly squinting shut thanks to the assault of the bountiful summer sun. She pulled her sheer shrug tighter over her arms, stifling a yawn behind her hand as her eyes fell upon Porom and Ceodore sharing a final hug. Her throat clenched mid-yawn as Porom's tiny robe fluttered beneath Ceodore's relinquished grip, a strange lightness filling her lungs like helium dancing in a balloon. She knew she had dra nk far too much last night – possibly the most she ever had in her life – she couldn't even remember getting herself into bed. Her dreams had been muddy and teetered the border of nightmare and ecstasy.

Yet, as soon as her eyes had begrudgingly opened that morning, something inside of her had blossomed to life, urging her to fight the molten lead that had taken residence in her marrow just so she could roll over and catch a glimpse of Porom's silky hair spilled over the side of her bed. The ribbon of pink was like an instant panacea to her hangover, and it took every molecule of decency left inside of her ( _not that it amounted to much anymore_ , she thought guiltily) to not call out to Porom and bid her good morning.

Instead, she let her friend – wait, was _friend_ the right word to use anymore after her simpering confession to Porom last night? – sleep, and untangled herself from her sheets before making her bed and snatching a lavender pinafore dress and a wrap hanging over her side of the room divider. She then slipped out of the room, sneaking upstairs to take a bath. Once she had wrapped herself in her usual shield of towels and sank into the near-boiling water, she made the obligatory few minutes' worth of small-talk with the other women who had joined up with her. Once it became evident to the others that Leonora was only half-functioning that morning, they eventually left her alone. She sank down deeper in the water, unleashing a confused sigh as she cupped her face in her hands and gingerly massaged her temples.

 _For the first time since I met Palom, I didn't wake up wondering what he was doing, or how he slept._

 _For the first time since I met Palom, instead of longing for him be by my side, I actively wished against it – prayed that he wouldn't join Porom, Ceodore, and I last night at dinner, so that I didn't have to hide my…_

 _Ugh…hide my what? My…vulgarity?_

Leonora's gaze drifted across the length of the bath; her chin tilted low so that no one misinterpreted her renewed interest in her company as an invitation to chat. The morning was like any other – spent with the same women she always saw in the bath and worked side-by-side with in the tower when she wasn't being tutored by Palom, soaking in the same mineral spring water that was heated by the same fire magic. But none of the faces before her elicited those hedonic tendrils inside of her core – like flint striking life into flame – like Porom had done that frightful night in the alley and again, even more desperately so, last night. Maybe she had felt a shade of those urges before with Palom when she realized she had fallen in love with him back on the True Moon – but they had always been considerably more innocent, and her fantasizing hadn't gone beyond much further than a deeply romantic kiss and a passionate (but haughty, because this was Palom we were talking about) request from him to properly court her.

 _That's what I was supposed to be daydreaming about, right?_ Leonora winced, her eyes sliding shut. _It's what every girl dreams about…her dashing prince, the one man who comes into her life and suddenly makes her question how she could have possibly lived her days without him until that moment. Even as an Epopt-to-be, I still had those dreams, even if I knew I was forbidden to pursue them… Palom wasn't the only reason why I turned away from my duties, but…I would be lying to myself if I said he wasn't an_ _ **important**_ _reason._

That was something she had never admitted out loud to anyone – she had barely been able to bring herself to even think it just now.

 _So why am I suddenly so eager to betray him?_ She wrapped her arms tighter around her towel, bowing deeper so that the anguish etched in her flushed face was masked by the steam of the bath. _And why is it only Porom that I want to risk it all for? I've never felt this way about another woman…or, well, anyone…in my life. Is this what love actually is? Something so animalistic and…abnormal?_

Her self-inflicted torture session lasted throughout the last of the straggling bathers, and she finally managed to drag herself out of the water and get dressed, guiltily remembering that Palom would be leaving for Mist that morning, if he hadn't already. As she descended the stairs to make her way to the atrium, she found herself hesitating in front of the door to their bedroom, the blood racing in her ears as her fingers brushed over the weathered oak. Before she could chicken out, she rapped on the door, holding her breath for ten seconds in anticipation of a reply. When she heard nothing, she slowly pushed the door open, peering inside.

 _Oh…Porom's gone. She must have woken up..._

She closed the door, her eyes guiltily shifting down the hall, where she had already passed Palom's room several paces ago. She made her way back to his door, knocking with a bit more force than necessary and instantly regretting her decision. What exactly was she going to say? "I wish you a pleasant journey to Mist, and by the way, I groped your sister in front of the Crystal of Water while the prince of Baron waited downstairs"?

Her mouth grew dry thinking about the last thing she had done before she and Porom had been interrupted – she could feel her hand breaking into a sweat against the doorframe as she stared at the thumb she had delicately traced across Porom's chest. She had just barely been able to feel the riotous beat of Porom's heart, and found herself longing to feel Porom's flesh beneath her hand again – a desire she found at once perplexing and utterly tantalizing.

 _It's not like I've never felt a breast before – there's certainly nothing amazing about mine._ She looked down at the front of her dress, her mouth twisting in distaste at what little there was to marvel at. But when Leonora thought about Porom, and what might have been waiting for her beneath the pretty, but torturously thin tunic she had been wearing…

 _Oh my gods,_ Leonora gasped to herself, yanking her hand away from the door and turning on her heel to get herself away from Palom's room as fast as possible. It was obvious by this point that he wasn't going to answer, and she needed to be anywhere else but here – a freezing cold waterfall in the middle of an arctic wasteland to shock some sense back into her might be a good start.

And that was when she found herself drifting through the tower like a ghost until she ended up outside, nearly tripping down the stairs when she realized who she had inadvertently joined.

Ceodore lifted his head when he caught sight of Leonora, breaking out into a grin and waving. "Good morning! How are you faring, Miss Leonora?"

"Prince Ceodore," Leonora smiled weakly, her eyes darting away as soon as Porom turned to look at her. She was afraid that even just looking at her would give away everything wicked she had just been thinking about. "I'm well, thank you. I apologize if I was a nuisance last night."

"What? I had a lot of fun," Ceodore laughed, and Porom couldn't help but giggle with him, even though she had immediately picked up on Leonora's very pointed effort not to engage her. She wondered if something had happened overnight to make Leonora change her mind, her stomach flip-flopping at the thought that…well, whatever it was they had agreed to pursue was already coming to an end.

"Are you heading out?" Leonora made her way down the stairs gingerly, very conscious of the throbbing that still hadn't quite vacated her skull from all of that wine.

"Yes," Ceodore nodded, shifting his hiking pack higher over his shoulder, which Porom had taken care to have one of the white mages stuff with every possible potion and ether known to man. "I should be back in a few days. I'll stop by the tower to say good-bye before I take the Devil's Road back to Baron."

"Please do," Porom sighed, despite the confidence Ceodore was practically radiating. "I'll be praying for you."

"Me too," Leonora chirped. "Be well."

Ceodore gave a final wave, smiling sheepishly as he took in the two gorgeous girls who had come to see him off one last time and resisting the urge to come up with an excuse to not partake in his climb. When he had disappeared from sight down the main drag that would lead him to the road to Mount Ordeals, Porom immediately spun around to face Leonora, her eyes crinkled with worry.

 _Just act normal. Normal!_

"Is everything OK? Ceodore and I nearly dropped you down the stairs when we took you to bed last night – you were out like a light before you hit the mattress."

"W-What!?" Leonora gasped, her cheeks reddening. The instant flood of embarrassment helped banish her fears of accidentally outing herself as a pervert. "You're not serious."

"Only about the mattress part," Porom giggled, happy that she got such a startled reaction. _Good – she's still acting like herself._ "But I guess you slept well if you still managed to wake up before me."

"I s-suppose," Leonora murmured, finally daring herself to meet Porom's gaze. "D-did you sleep well?"

"I did, but it was only when I overheard one of the maids talking about Ceodore in the hall that I remembered what was happening today and flew out of bed."

"Does that mean Palom hasn't departed yet?" Leonora asked carefully. Saying his name in front of the girl she had so desperately wanted to kiss last night left a taste in her mouth that was the equivalent of licking the soot out of a fireplace. "I stopped by his room, but…"

"No, I don't think he has," Porom pressed her lips together, trying not to read too deeply into the fact that Leonora had tried to seek him out. "Ever since we were young, I've made it a point to always have someone who is willing to rat him out stationed at the Devil's Road so that I would know when he made an escape. I figured he would use that to cross over to Baron and then take the northern road to Mist. Since I haven't heard anything yet, there's a pretty good chance he's still here."

They promptly fell into an excruciating silence, both of them suddenly realizing that with Palom unaccounted for, it was dangerous to talk about anything either of them was itching to say. As Leonora fully drank in Porom's disheveled, but somehow still-gorgeous appearance, now able to appreciate it without the risk of Ceodore suspecting anything odd, her eyes darkened with that same ethereal onyx that had absorbed the dazzling light of the crystal chamber. Porom clenched her jaw and crossed her arms under her chest, blowing a lock of unbrushed hair out of her eyes as she turned toward the direction Ceodore had departed.

She was already tired of having to tiptoe around her brat of a brother just to _talk_ to Leonora, but it was painfully obvious that they needed to acknowledge the black magic genius elephant in the room, otherwise they may never say anything more to each other than awkward morning greetings for the rest of their lives. Before she could stop herself, she reached backward for Leonora's hand, clenching it within her own.

The blood drained from Leonora's face. "Porom…!"

"I have an idea for a place we can talk. Will you follow me?"

Leonora stared up at the back of Porom's head bewilderedly, squeezing her fingers in reply before reluctantly dropping her hand. It wasn't like it was unusual for girls in Mysidia – friends or otherwise – to often stroll about holding hands and being ridiculous, even in advanced age – it was one of the few cultural quirks Troia and Mysidia had seemed to have in common, most likely rooted in the magic-rich communities they had both been raised in that emphasized the amplifying powers of touch and of the strength bonded souls brought to spellcasting. But what if someone saw them holding hands and could instantly derive that something so much more torrid was threatening to burst between the two of them? She felt sensory overload for just the few precious seconds she had been able to caress Porom's silken skin – wouldn't it all be so obvious to everyone else?

They ventured down the main drag, not saying anything to each other but returning any courtesies that were offered to them by the villagers with all of the fake, normal cheer both of them could muster. Once they reached the inn Leonora had attempted to take shelter in the other night, Porom stopped to open the door, and Leonora blinked, taken aback.

"What are we doing here?"

Porom pressed her fingers to her forehead, laughing nervously. She supposed this looked a little shadier than she had originally intended.

"I, uh, guess I should have explained. This inn has a little side room off the pub that Palom and I would sometimes come to when we needed to discuss something we didn't want getting back to the Elder. Usually, it was a scheme he was cooking up that I was trying to diffuse before he started a citywide-riot… Allegedly, it used to be the headquarters for a criminal poaching syndicate that ran through Mysidia."

"W-What!?" Leonora spat. "Are you joking again?"

"That's just the rumor," Porom laughed nervously. "I mean, I've never run into anyone bad, so it's probably not true anymore, right? It's not like there is anything left to poach around here – just monsters!"

"Y-you are not making this sound any b-better," Leonora murmured, but she followed Porom inside anyway, tucking her chin into her chest so that her hair fell over her face like a veil the way she had when she had, very uncomfortably, crossed the threshold of the King's Bounty Pub in her misguided attempt to impress Palom. After climbing the stairs to the nearly-empty pub and turning a corner into a narrow hall, Porom pushed open the lone door left ajar, suddenly pausing in place and unleashing a surprised shriek.

"What happened!?" Leonora gasped, pushing onto her tiptoes to peer over Porom's shoulder. "A-are the poachers back…!?"

"What poachers?" a familiar voice snickered, and Leonora winced as Porom rolled her eyes, kicking the door open the rest of the way.

"Palom! What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be preparing for your journey to Baron?"

Sure enough, Palom was leaning backwards against a wall in a rickety chair that looked to be on its last legs (literally – they were shuddering warningly under his slight weight), his feet precariously perched on the small, notch-laden table that had been in the center of the room for as long as Porom could remember. The chamber had no windows or openings save for the one door, and there wasn't much else to look at save for the three-quarters melted lard and wax candle in a tarnished dish that had been shoved aside by his feet, already extinguished. An empty plate of food and a half-filled stein were to his left, which he deftly snatched and brought to his lips in one effortless swing, the chair refusing to relinquish even one screech of protest.

He swallowed. "I'm about to leave. I just wanted to have one last breakfast in peace before all hell breaks loose in Mist – is that a crime now? How'd you find me, anyway? Who ratted me out _this_ time?"

"Um, did you even come home last night?" Porom demanded, deftly avoiding his line of questioning with some of her own. That the two of them had plotted coming here, even if it was for vastly different reasons, made her realize that their psychic-like connection as twins, shaky as it was at times, was still front and center of their relationship – a fact that disturbed her more now than it might have three days ago. "You missed seeing Ceodore off, you know."

"Ceodore doesn't need a parade thrown for him just because he's visiting some dead relatives on Mount Ordeals," Palom smirked. "You heard him yesterday – he just wants to do his thing. Why am I the only one that understands that?"

"…You're terrible to speak of Ceodore and his grandfather – Cecil's own father – like that," Porom countered, and Leonora could only look away, pressing her lips together. She didn't like it when Palom tried to show off – especially when she knew he was doing it just to impress her. It didn't seem to matter how many times she told him it was inappropriate – he relished the attention either way.

But this time, at least, Porom's chastising seemed to have had some effect – or maybe it was a combination of the venom in her voice and the dejected look in Leonora's eyes, though he had no idea it was attributed to her disappointment for an entirely different reason. He sat up in the chair, finishing the last of what was in his stein and jumping to his feet, the smirk that always seemed permanently etched on his face warping into an uneasy frown.

"I have to admit…I'm a little…um…concerned about this mission. I don't think it's a HUGE deal, mind you…but I…I got to thinking. If _Rydia_ is worried enough to ask for help, then it must be pretty dire – you know?"

"You're scared?" Leonora blinked, and Palom shrugged, turning away so that she couldn't see the rise of color in his cheeks.

"I was _more_ scared for you – that's why I changed my mind about asking you to go. I realized if I was still a little worried, that I was insane for shipping you off – I'd just end up going after you anyway."

"W-What?" Leonora gasped, and Porom had to collect her jaw from the floor. Was Palom actually being…considerate? Chivalrous? _Romantic_?! Leonora's fingers clenched bemusedly at her pinafore. "It wasn't because you think I'm not good enough to fight on my own?"

"Of course not," he huffed. "Your training and gaining experience are important, but _sometimes_ instincts are more important, and I'm choosing to go with my gut on this one. That's all."

"I…I thank you for it," Leonora whispered, pressing her hands together. "Sincerely." Palom turned back to the two of them, clearing his throat.

"And thank you both for seeking me out so that you could see me off. I know I won't be gone long, but I still appreciate it. Sometimes, I get the feeling that no one wants me around – and you two always serve to remind me that at least in a few rare instances, that's not true."

Porom lowered her head, a wave of shame crashing in her stomach. She didn't bother to correct him – she would choke on her own bile if she tried. Instead, she silently opened her arms, and the twins quickly embraced, their cheeks barely brushing before Palom pulled away and took Leonora into his grasp, staring at Porom over her shoulder as he pressed the girl tightly into the swell of his cloak. As Leonora let out a squeak of surprise, he gave Porom a weak smile, thinking that this was what she had been _wanting_ to see – what she had been encouraging him to do in order to repair the fledgling relationship he was trying to build with his trainee.

 _No, not trainee_ , Porom thought, her eyes stinging. _The girl he_ _ **loves**_ _._ She could only manage to plaster on a smile in return, the corners of her mouth aching from how hard she had to force her muscles to comply.

It was a small miracle handed down to her from the gods that Palom didn't feel compelled to demonstrate any further affection and released Leonora without a kiss good-bye or any last romantic words – at least one of the three of them was still acting like themselves. Instead, he asked that they escort him to the Devil's Road, and during the walk, he detailed out for them what his plan of attack was going to be once he encountered the monsters raising havoc in the Misty Mountains. If Porom had needed to summarize to prove she had been paying attention, she would have done so with: "Launch a bunch of level three Fire, Blizzard and Thunder spells until everything on the mountain is dead". She had never been more grateful that her twin had still not managed to master the deadliest of black magic spells, Meteor – otherwise, the mountain range would be likely wiped off the map by the time he was done.

Once they had reached the entrance to the Devil's Road, Palom took no time to dither over good-byes. Now that he was back in the public eye (not that anyone was paying him much attention), affection took a back seat to his carefully-procured aloof image.

"Send word if things take longer than expected," Porom insisted, and Palom nodded, pushing the door behind him.

"Yeah, yeah, _Mom_."

"Grrr…" Porom snarled under her breath, but Palom ignored her, turning back to Leonora.

"Don't slack off with your training while I'm gone. You're not off the hook just because I decided to take this one on myself. Do whatever Porom tells you to do."

"Erm, ah, u-understood," Leonora stuttered, the blood draining from her face. Meanwhile, Porom could feel her own blood rushing somewhere else entirely, and she had to discreetly pinch her arm to snap herself out of her idiocy.

Without another word, Palom left them, slamming the door shut behind him, perhaps to add gravitas to his departure. A few moments later, the tiny cracks of light the blackout curtains hung inside the gatehouse couldn't quite conceal erupted in wave of pale blue, and Porom knew that meant her brother had activated the rune and was being spirited away to Baron. Another minute passed before the girls turned to each other in silence, finally feeling safe enough to just _look_ at one another.

"S-so," Leonora mumbled, while Porom took in Leonora's elegant fishtail braid that she had woven over her shoulder while her hair was still wet from the bath. The way her pinafore hung at just the right height from her shoulders with two-inch-wide straps, exposing the long stretch of fair skin between her neck and bustline, perfectly framed with the rectangular cut of fabric across her chest, made her look like a fay maiden out of a storybook. On anyone else, it would look indecent, but with Leonora's petite figure, it looked put-together and just shy of cloying. Porom glanced down at her mess of an outfit and remembered her unbrushed hair, and inwardly grimaced. Normally, she never cared much what she looked like, but suddenly, she found herself hyper-aware about every detail of her body, right down to the broken cuticle on her ring fingernail she had been neglecting for the past few days.

"Should we go somewhere to talk?" Porom offered, smiling slightly, and Leonora nodded, relieved she didn't have to say anymore. Right then, a chorus of excited voices screamed out their names, and the two of them spun around, only to see a flock of apprentice mages coming at them from the direction of the tower, being chased by a couple of harried senior-level white and black mages.

"Lady Porom! Miss Leonora! There you are!"

"What now?" Porom sighed, and Leonora pressed her hand to her mouth to hide her smile as the children barreled up to them.

"One at a time!" she chirped, but the children kept talking over each other and not making a lick of sense. One of the senior mages finally caught up, pushing through the sea of kids and shaking his head.

"I'm so sorry, Lady Porom – the kids have been struck by a touch of summer thanks to the beautiful weather we're having today."

"No need to apologize," Porom smiled. "It IS their term break, after all. It's hard to keep them focused on their duties inside at a time like this."

"They wanted to go to the north shore to practice their magic today," the mage explained. "I told them they had to finish their morning chores and get your permission, first. I know we're short-handed due to the Elder's pilgrimage and Lord Palom's absence, and didn't want to place any more of a burden on your shoulders."

"Oh, it's all right," Porom giggled, shaking her head. Normally, Palom would have been the one playing ringleader with the kids and disregarding anything she had to say about it, but today, she decided she was tired of being the defacto bad cop, even if he wasn't around to see it. "Better to have them out getting fresh air and practicing then slothing around in the tower – it's going to get hot in there today, even if we open every window. You go and have fun."

"Yay!" one of the children shrieked, jumping up in the air.

"You come with us, Miss Leonora!" another one exclaimed. "I want you to teach me "Cura"!"

"And I want you to teach me "Blizzard"!"

"Oh…" Leonora blushed, turning back to Porom with a shrug. "What do you think, Lady Porom? Do you need me for anything at the tower?"

"You should go along," Porom smiled. "I'll catch up with you later." She would relish some quiet time to herself to get cleaned up and get her thoughts in order – and she had no idea the last time she had been to the beach, or any open body of water, save for that crazy dream she had had yesterday – she'd have to unearth her swimsuit, too. Palom's departure had been like fog lifting from a valley – for now, at least, they had plenty of time to figure things out.

A few hours later, after Porom had gotten herself decent and had been alerted by the mages holding the guard shift for the afternoon that the supplemental soldiers Cecil had promised her had arrived, she prepared the orders for the last of the village needs for which they required aid, and helped arrange their boarding within the tower so that they could come and go as they pleased. Each of the five men that were introduced to her were kind and the very definition of chivalry – it was obvious that they were receiving their training direct from Cecil and Kain, the men that had defined the gold standard for knighthood within Baron. They were all younger recruits of the Red Wings, which she supposed made sense being that what they needed help with wasn't exactly a trial for armed men, but it was still evident that the best and brightest of their ranks had been chosen just for her.

 _Cecil…you've come through for us again. The first time we met, I never would have imagined our nations would be able to come together like this – now so much has changed in such a short time._

 _So very much…_

Back in her and Leonora's room after sending the soldiers on their way, she bit down on her lip to keep from breathing in a layer of dust as she pulled a small trunk out from her closet, swiping across the latch with a handkerchief and sliding off the already broken lock. It had been rendered useless ever since Palom had broken it years ago, thinking she had hidden one of his "harmless" (his description, not hers) exploding Fire Rods inside (she hadn't – she had tossed it straight into the sea). So now, rather than being used for storing any secrets, the chest had become a catch-all for random bits of clothing and shoes she didn't use often enough.

She finally found what she was looking for, a black, two-piece makeshift bathing suit that consisted of a bikini top with ties around the neck and back that she had worn under a chest guard for short-lived archery lessons, and a fluttery, layered-ruffle skirt that a kind, older student had once charmed to render waterproof for her when they were practicing melting ice blocks with fire magic, and Palom had volunteered his sister to be the one responsible for casting Float on all the ice. That day had resulted in her getting splashed… _a lot_ – the skirt had been a blessing back then. But now, holding everything up against her body in the mirror, her mouth twisted in disapproval. For the second time that day, she was reminded that she needed to toss out a majority of her teenage clothing – everything was so small on her filled-out frame now.

 _Ugh…I really need to get a proper suit. But I suppose this will do, for now._

After changing, she grabbed a book from her desk and a lap blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders like a cape, and made her way to the north shore. A private pathway that wound from the rear of the tower's gardens would eventually take her to the village bounds, and awaiting there was a little-known gate that provided direct access to the beach.

 _It feels good to be having fun for once,_ Porom thought to herself, her steps growing a little lighter with each passing second. _By the time Palom gets back, all of our aid requests will be met thanks to Baron's help, we won't have to worry about Mist, and we'll be all caught up just in time for the Elder to return home._ She passed a villager who must had caught word of the impromptu beach field trip, for he was set up on the last vestiges of the dusty prairieland before everything around them turned into pearly-white sand, accompanied with a cart loaded with sandwiches and fruits. Kids were lined up twenty-deep, anxiously jangling the gil that they had fetched from their robes spread out on the sand, and Porom rested her hand over her bare stomach to stifle the hungry growls that had suddenly overtaken her.

 _Ooops…and the one thing I forgot to do was eat…and I have no gil._ She glared at her lack of pockets on the strips of fabric protecting her dignity. _Maybe if there is anything left after the kids have eaten, I'll grab some food and deliver the gil tonight._

She dropped her blanket at the first empty spot she could find, digging her toes into the toasty warm sand and flipping to the ribbon she was using as a bookmark in the middle of her tome. Every few sentences, she found her eyes flicking up and away from the page, casually scanning the turquoise waves several yards away to see if she could spot a certain blonde. Instead, she found a lot of kids running in and out of the water, playing a game of chicken with the surf, and the senior mages attempting to hold miniature lessons that were quickly dissolving into chaos, wisps of fire, ice and thunder magic exploding everywhere.

"What are you reading?"

Two sun-warmed, ivory hands planted themselves on Porom's shoulders, and a familiar braid brushed against her cheek, filling the air with a mix of sugary tea and nose-tickling citrus. Porom turned toward Leonora with a sly smile, closing the book without bothering to mark her new spot. Leonora leaned in closer to read the cover, suppressing a giggle.

" _The Theorem of Fourth-Level Black Magic: Practical Application and Corroboration_? Is that…i-interesting?"

"Make fun all you want, but as someone who can actually use black magic, _you_ may want to actually read it someday." Porom set the book aside, and Leonora kneeled next to her on the blanket, folding her hands in her lap dutifully.

"Oh, I wasn't making fun – I love that you appreciate studying this kind of stuff. I'd read it with you, if you ever wanted me to…"

Porom tried to curtail the delight that had seeped into her features, blushing as she dug her toes deeper into the sand. _And I love that you ask what I'm reading. I love that you were seeking me out here at the beach. I love…_ Her heart began to race as she shifted her weight and let her hand drift closer to Leonora's knee, a sliver of alabaster peeking from the hem of her dress.

Leonora tilted her head – was she blushing too, or had she just gotten too much sun? – and leaned in closer, pointing toward a charcoal-colored jetty that stretched across the eastern sands and tumbled into the ocean. It had been constructed long, long, before Porom had been born – she thought she had heard the Elder tell stories about how his grandfather had had a hand in building it, back when Mysidia had a functioning harbor. The village had let it slide into neglect once it had become a magical stronghold, which had also played into its unfortunate dip into xenophobia that it was still recovering from yet today. Thanks to the impenetrable relationships the twins had formed with the kings of the planet's most powerful nations during the two wars, and foreigners like Leonora being welcomed among the village ranks, that mindset was finally starting to die out, albeit slowly.

"I found a little alcove while we were practicing magic," Leonora half-whispered, as if the mystical spell woven between them would shatter if they raised their voices any higher. "Have you ever been?"

"No," Porom breathed out, and it was very much the truth – as children, the Elder had discouraged them from climbing the jetties, lest they slip and crack their skulls open, and it wasn't very often that they had visited the shore together, despite living only steps away. "You won't be missed?"

"My charges abandoned me when the rumor tore across the beach like wildfire that nourishment had arrived," Leonora giggled. "My novelty has worn off."

 _Not to me,_ Porom thought, hauling herself off the blanket and offering her hand. Leonora grabbed hold and jumped up, gesturing for Porom to follow as they crossed the beach, dodging wayward flung spells and making sure to step over everyone who had half-buried themselves in the sand to create mermaid tails. Once they reached the jetty, Leonora climbed over a short stack of shallows where the shore met the water, lifting her dress a couple inches to ensure it wouldn't get wet.

"Just around this way."

Porom climbed after her, the cold sea spray a miraculous balm against her bare legs that already felt like they had been cooking the short time she had been reading on the blanket. Once she turned the corner to make her way back to shore, she saw the alcove Leonora had been referring to – the rocks from the jetty that had collapsed near the shallows had created a short wall – not any higher than a few feet – that prevented low-tide waves from streaming onto the shore. The full rise of the jetty behind them blocked the girls from the view of the beach the mages had infiltrated, rendering their side silent save for the patient lapping of the ocean against stone.

"This is so peaceful!" Porom exclaimed, pressing her back against the shadow-drenched rock and relishing in its soothing coolness. She raised a hand, pointing beyond the far east horizon where the periwinkle-coated summit of Mount Ordeals beckoned. "Wave to Ceodore!"

"Hey, Ceodore!" Leonora called, fluttering her fingers and laughing. "He's so brave…I remember being terrified of just the _replica_ of Mount Ordeals the Creator forced us to scale when we were on the True Moon. I can't imagine climbing the real deal."

"The replica was pretty darn close," Porom sighed. "I could probably live without having to ever go back there again." She watched as Leonora took in the majesty of the holy mountain from their safe distance, suddenly feeling over-exposed thanks to the chill of the jetty, and wrapping her arms around herself for warmth. Did Leonora remember that it had been True Moon's version of Mount Ordeals where Luca had cajoled (well, strong-armed) her into confessing that she had feelings for Palom? At the time, Porom had thought nothing of it, other than likening Leonora to another blind, naïve girl that would eventually see the error of her ways and move on, just like Luca and all the other girls before her had. But then her brother had changed – ever so slightly for the better, day by day – and Porom realized Leonora was the miraculous catalyst, perhaps even before Palom had figured it out for himself.

 _Every thought I've had about her as of late ultimately circles back to him,_ Porom frowned, lowering her gaze. She could feel any optimism she had absorbed thanks to her minor successes throughout the day cold sweating out of her pores.

Leonora, realizing that Porom hadn't spoken for a while, spun back around and swallowed a muted gasp at the encroaching shadows that had stained the girl's gaze an inky blue. "P-Porom, what's wrong? Are you cold?" She reached for her wrap, realizing after ten seconds of blind grasping that she had left it behind on the beach. As soon as she had spotted Porom climbing over the sand dunes, the glittery reflection of the sea igniting her crown of pink hair into the color of a fiery sunset, her mind had gone on auto-pilot like one of Cid's airships.

"I'm OK," Porom replied, and Leonora pressed up against the wall next to her, hesitantly resting her palm over Porom's goosepimple-covered bicep. Before Leonora could protest and insist that they go back someplace warmer, Porom bit down on her lip, closing her eyes. It was foolish of her to think that they had plenty of time to discuss the awkwardness of their morning – best to just rip the bandage off the wound now, before things got any more strained. "This morning, while Palom was still here…"

"Um, I-I know what you're going to say," Leonora interrupted. "It was…weird."

"Yeah," Porom shifted her weight, sighing. "I know you said we couldn't say anything to him – but what are we going to do when he comes back from Mist? Are you hesitating because…you still have feelings for him?" She thought back to Palom's oath about keeping Leonora out of harm's way, and felt her stomach flip-flop again. It was a good thing she hadn't eaten lunch, or it might have made in appearance all over the sand at her feet.

"Feelings?" Leonora blinked, the corner of her mouth twitching. "I…It's not like that. I mean, I do have feelings for him, but…" She shook her head, peeling herself off the wall. "…They're _not_ the same feelings I have for you. I may be confused about what…about what _this_ is…, but I _know_ at least that much is true. When I see him, I don't…I don't want to know him the way I want to know you…" She pushed herself up on her toes, offering her lips to Porom's with a surprising assertiveness. Porom felt her hesitations melt away as Leonora pushed deeper, gingerly sucking on her sun-chapped lower lip as she murmured. "If he finds out…what would we do then?"

 _I don't know how to answer that,_ Porom thought as she moaned against Leonora's mouth. _Maybe I don't want the answer… No matter what comes of this,_ _ **someone**_ _is going to get hurt._

Leonora gently pried Porom's hands away from her body as they kissed, guiding them to rest at her hips before slipping her own arms around the white mage's neck to draw her yet closer. "I'm sorry I'm such a coward. I'm sorry…!"

"Stop!" Porom finally burst out, breaking for air as she kneaded her fingertips into Leonora's waist. "If you're a coward, then I am too, doubly so. I just…I just wanted to make sure we had a plan, or something…before he came back. Because if I have to face another morning where I can't even _look_ at you when he's here…how am I going to pretend that everything between us is OK?"

"Please just give me some time to think it through," Leonora whispered, tracing her tongue over the outline of Porom's kiss-ravaged pout. "When I woke up this morning…it was your name on my lips, Porom. You _promised_ to help me understand why I feel this way…!"

"…I did," Porom conceded, sliding her hands down the back of Leonora's dress and cupping the girl's ass as she swung her gently against the rock wall, carefully pinning her in place with her chest and her hips as she pulled away from Leonora's probing mouth and began to trail feather-light kisses down the length of her neck, savoring the heady mix of Leonora's sugary scent and the sea salt that had clung to her skin from their time on the beach. The lower she brought the caress of her mouth, the more frantically she could feel Leonora's knees vibrating against her bare legs. After a few more moments of delicious torture consisting of Porom's tongue dragging along the contour of Leonora's collarbone, she lifted her head back up to Leonora's ear, brushing her lips over the fire-hot lobe with a throaty whisper.

"Do you need to sit down?"

"Y-Yes…" Leonora gasped, and Porom obliged, gently leading her to the sands below with her back propped against the jetty and tracing her fingertips up the length of her legs, halting right at the hem of her dress. Encouraged by the quiver of Leonora's muscles, she gently shifted Leonora's legs between her own, lowering herself into her lap and eagerly joining their hips. Leonora moaned her approval and pulled Porom closer, the tiny part of her brain that hadn't yet been saturated in pure lust idly noting that if her dress rode up just a few inches higher, there would only be a mere swatch of fabric acting as a barrier between her body and the divine warmth emanating from Porom's skirt.

They brought their mouths together in another fever-tinged series of kisses, Porom's fingers entangled in the loosened weave of Leonora's braid as Leonora's hands in turn wandered between every precious inch of Porom's body that she could reach: First trailing down each intricate nub of Porom's spine before circling her soft, sun-kissed waist, and then tracing the delicate indent of her stomach. As she tilted her head back to drink in a much-needed hit of oxygen, inviting Porom's mouth to continue its work exploring her neck instead, her eyes fell upon the carefully tied black top Porom was wearing, realizing for the first time since she had spotted her on the beach that it would only take one clumsy slip of her fingers to bring the fantasy to life that she had been half-deliriously dreaming of finishing from last night. She needed, desperately, to understand what it was about Porom's soft curves that entranced her so, when no other woman's body had ever brought her that much pleasure to look at – including her own.

Porom lifted her head when mouth had ceased to draw out any more of Leonora's pleading gasps, her confused gaze transforming into simmering twin pools of arousal when she saw what had Leonora's attention. Remembering how just the mere brush of Leonora's thumb had made her see stars, she gently took one of Leonora's hands into her own, which had been hovering precariously beneath the bikini's band, and lifted it just a few inches higher, releasing it before her vulgar desperation pushed her to make the move for her. Part of Porom wanted to see the pleased look on Leonora's face as she sought out her very obviously suppressed desire, but another part of her wanted to just end this madness with one quick tug of the strings that were digging deeper into her neck with each agonizing second that passed.

"Please," Porom finally whispered, and a light snapped on behind Leonora's eyes, a sensuous smile tugging her swollen lips as she lifted her other hand to join the first, deftly cupping the pliant rises of flesh presented to her in each one and releasing a low, tortured moan that she hadn't realized she had been holding in. Porom arched her back, her eyes sliding shut as she reflexively pushed herself deeper into Leonora's grip. "Mmm…!"

"You're so soft," Leonora murmured, her eyes half-closing as she rolled her thumbs in a gentle massaging motion and marveled at the way Porom's skin glowed enticingly between the grips of her fingers with each tender stroke. The bikini top, already too small, was pulled further taut as Leonora gradually increased her momentum, and she felt the muscles in her hips clench yet tighter when her smooth, methodic strokes over Porom's breasts became disrupted by twin hardened swells that had cheekily peaked beneath the strained fabric.

 _Did I…did I do that to her?_ Leonora blushed, half-wondrous and half-afraid that she might have been inflicting pain. Even so, she couldn't bring herself to stop, and dared herself to shyly gaze upon Porom writhing above her.

Meanwhile, Porom was biting her lip to keep herself from moaning any louder in an effort to not lure any suspicious eyes their way. Short of casting Silence on herself, she was going to end up failing spectacularly if Leonora kept down the agonizing path they had stumbled upon. Her fingers, shaking with longing and yet frozen in place with reluctance, were clutching the end of the ties around her neck. Her thoughts and words were a jumbled mess, dissolving into pathetic whimpers of bliss every time she tried to tell Leonora what she wanted next. If only she could read Porom's mind – she would see a candy-hued explosion of fireworks as fantasy-Leonora lifted the clingy triangles of fabric away from fantasy-Porom's chest and went back to work without skipping a beat.

"I feel like you're weaving a spell with those hands," Porom finally managed to choke out, and Leonora gingerly cupped her newfound treasures together, planting a trail of kisses down the dip of cleavage. In a glimpse of sanity, Porom abandoned the ties to her top for the time being, slipping her arms around Leonora's neck instead and cradling her tighter against her chest as she kissed her hair.

"D-does it hurt?" Leonora murmured into Porom's skin, brushing her lips over the hardened flesh through Porom's top and guessing from Porom's sudden spasm in her lap that she had hit a sensitive area. _Was she supposed to press on, or stop?_ "I-I don't know…"

Porom couldn't bring herself to say anything – her words had been dead on arrival when Leonora's warm breath had hit her skin.

Suddenly, a jarring chorus of excited shrieks and cheers, followed by an explosion of sand, erupted on the other side of the jetty, temporarily yanking Porom's head from the clouds and tossing her back to their sobering reality. She could feel Leonora flinch beneath her, and knew that she had heard the close call as well. _If this goes any further, we're going to get caught,_ she thought, clenching her eyes shut. _This is getting too dangerous – we're still in public, for gods' sake…_

"It hurts," Porom admitted, inhaling a final, intoxicating whiff of Leonora's scent through her hair. "And I'm afraid that if I tell you what I need, you'll never want to look me in the eye again." She half-hoped that Leonora wouldn't call her bluff, because she didn't even think she could say what she wanted out loud without profusely praying for forgiveness to whatever gods there still might be witnessing this sacrilege.

Leonora giggled nervously, pulling away to defiantly stare up at her. She hated it when anyone told her what she could or couldn't do, but she was in far too good of a mood to argue, even as the fear of them getting caught started to slowly douse the shared fire that had been raging through their veins. "…So, does that mean we should be getting back?"

"For now," Porom nodded, her cheeks flushing. "But…please don't think it's because you're not…utterly amazing." She tenderly kissed Leonora's forehead, testing the strength of her willpower with one last innocent squeeze of her thighs framing Leonora's hips. "Are you sure you haven't done this before?"

"Porom!" Leonora squealed, her eyes widening as she shook her head. "Don't make fun of me! You know that I'm…that I'm a…" She huffed, turning away in embarrassment as her tongue tripped over the unspoken v-word.

"I'm not making fun!" Porom protested, sliding off of her lap and adjusting her clothes before grabbing Leonora's hand to help her up. "I'm just trying to tell you that…" She blushed deeper, pulling her in for one last kiss, "…I've never felt like this before. With anyone."

"Porom…" Leonora whimpered against her mouth, her eyes sliding shut in an effort to banish the tears she could feel stinging the back of her eyes. _Oh gods…please forgive me for what I've done to Palom…regardless of whether or not he may love me…_

 _…I just can't tear myself away from her. It's already too late…she's imprinted on my very soul._

* * *

After the somewhat-productive field trip (speaking purely from the students' perspective), all of the kids had been herded back to the tower before it got dark. Having foregone any lunch and her dopamine hit from her time with Leonora rapidly waning and being replaced by raging hunger, Porom got dressed and wandered into town for food, too anxious to wait for the dinner service at the tower. It had been easier for her and Leonora to slip back into their nonchalant personas this time than it had been last night, but even so, Porom had wanted some time to think by herself. Everything she had been experiencing 48 hours had been so new, so incredibly… _raw_ , that she felt like she was a passenger on an airship going a million miles an hour, watching her normally boring life speed by into oblivion like a ghost removed from her body. After breaking free from the haze Leonora's lips had doused her brain in, Porom was left with some confusing observations – none of which she wanted to discuss with anyone she currently shared a roof with.

She couldn't get the conversation she had had with Luca out of her head as her feet automatically carried her to the pub above the inn. Since it was the end of the week, the place was packed even more so than usual, a detail she was only reminded of after taking in the crowds while trying to find a seat. She had been so wrapped up in her concern about what had been happening with Leonora that she couldn't even remember what day it was – the ridiculousness of how clueless she was made her laugh out loud. Luckily, her voice was drowned out by the din around her.

Once her order had been taken and her food delivered, Porom stared down thoughtfully at her antlion steak and cut it into perfectly uniform cubes, a habit she had developed ever since she could hold a knife. It had been a different story with her brother, who hadn't earned his knife privileges until several years after due to his tendency to use it as a projectile.

The barkeep tonight who had brought her the food was an extended family member of the man who owned the inn, and was someone that Porom had basically grown up with in the village. He was a few years older than her, and had acknowledged her with a kind smile when he had stopped over, too busy with the bursting pub to initiate any polite conversation tonight. Smiling in return, it didn't escape Porom how handsome he was – she had always thought so, and was obvious enough about it that Palom liked to give her hell whenever they saw him here. He had rich black hair that almost shined with an azure glaze beneath the tavern lights, and he had recently cut it in floppy curls that swept just beneath his ears, revealing his long, tanned neck that was toned with sinewy ropes of muscle she could see flexing beneath the collar of his shirt as he pivoted between chortling customers at the counter and the other tables. His lips were the vibrant hue of peak-ripened strawberries, his sculpted cheeks in a continual flush from constant laughter and the glow of candlelight. His nose was a slender slope that reminded her much of Kain Highwind, whose divine face she had always compared to an ivory bust of an ancient king you would find in an aristocrat's study.

 _"Porom! You are totally red! Have you told him how you feel yet?"_

Luca's voice rang through her head again, and she closed her eyes, banishing the cute boy from her sights as she shoved a piece of steak into her mouth.

 _Luca first assumed that I was in love with a man._

She chewed deliberately, over-thoughtfully, her eyes still shut. If anyone else had been paying attention to her, they would have thought she was eating the best meal of her life.

 _That's what most people would assume, isn't it?_ She thought back to the night she and Leonora had first kissed, when Palom had stopped by her room to apologize for being a jackass.

 _"I know you hate it when everyone asks why you don't have a boyfriend, but can you really blame them?"_

 _I had always assumed I would have a boyfriend someday_ , Porom mused, stabbing another piece of meat with her fork and ferrying it to its final doom just like the first. There wasn't a time in her life she hadn't assumed as such – she just had never found anyone that made her stomach do backflips and somersaults and made her legs turn to jelly – someone that she knew would understand and _embrace_ the chaos of a child prodigy-turned war hero-turned village elder. She had also always had an underlying appreciation for the beautiful men she had gotten to spend time with on a regular basis as a child and a young woman as well – she just had been sensible enough to know that her relationships with them would never turn down a romantic path, and she had always been one-hundred percent OK with that.

 _Always, always, always._ She sure was thinking in absolutes a lot for a girl who turned out didn't know much of anything.

And while she was at it, she was also absolutely sure she had never entertained the prospect of having a…a… _girlfriend_ , in all of her twenty-two years.

"Girl…friend," Porom tasted the word, swallowing back her food and muttering quietly so that no one else could hear her. It made her tongue twist funnily against the roof of her mouth, like she was trying to read an ancient rune in an advanced magic class.

She had known people, albeit on the fringes of her life, that had "untraditional" relationships, as the Elder would have tactfully called them. Men who lived with and loved other men, women who started families with other women. Some formally married with the Crystal of Water bearing witness in the Tower of Prayers, like her parents had been, some never legally binding their unions, some perpetual bachelors and bachelorettes. Hell, if you believed the vulgar rumors about Troian women (which Palom did full-heartedly, Porom not at all), most of them were supposedly closeted lesbians that shunned men for far reaching political and sociological purposes.

 _If that were really the case, the King's Bounty wouldn't be Troia's top tourist destination,_ Porom thought dryly, having to suppress the urge to roll her eyes at her brother's idiocy, even with him hundreds of leagues away.

She reached for her drink, blinking away the exhaustion that had suddenly settled in her gaze as she stared at her rippling reflection in the deep red Brandywine. The next time she went to Baron…if Luca asked her how things had been going with her "crush", how would she react if Porom told her she now had a _girlfriend_? (If Leonora even agreed to such a label – the gods knew that there was no way Porom would even be able to whisper such a blasphemy as long as Palom had no idea what she and Leonora were doing behind his back, and what if after Leonora had sorted her feelings, it turned out she didn't even want to be in a relationship with her?)

How would everyone else react? Would Cecil and Rosa want to keep Ceodore away from her, lest she corrupt the future king with her lurid lifestyle? Would the men she respected and loved think she was a Troian tease because she had never made such a declaration before, and she had defied all their expectations of what sweet, little Porom from backwater Mysidia should have been?

 _Does loving Leonora…wanting her so badly that my whole body aches…make me gay?_ Porom sniffed, and was shocked to see a tear slide down her cheek and splash into her drink. Somehow, it seemed like this realization would have hurt a lot less if this had just been another box to check off on her list of already-established qualities that she had been raised to believe she innately held inside of her since birth – like her white magic or her mystical connection with her twin.

A sudden crash filled the air behind her, and Porom instinctively whirled around in her chair, banishing her tears from her eyes with a forceful blink as she took in the harried figure of a woman that had burst into the pub, the entryway door still swinging wildly on its hinges behind her. She clearly hadn't touched her hair since that morning, as it was half-hanging out of a bun and half splayed around her face in frizzy snatches. Her dress was covered in an apron that was stained with a variety of colors that Porom had the sickening suspicion were once bodily fluids, and her face was blotched with patches of crimson-stained capillaries. As soon as the woman's eyes fell on Porom, she leapt from her seat, haphazardly tossing ten gil over her abandoned plate on the table.

"Lady Porom!" she exclaimed. "Please help, I beg of you – someone at the tower said you might be here. My son is very sick – the illness has only progressed with the magic we've tried, and his sleep grows deeper by the hour."

"Of course," Porom nodded, tossing her cloak over her shoulders. Despite the heat of their day at the beach, the air had developed a bite of cold as the sun had started to make its descent. She shoved her way through the crowd, most of which had gone back to their business now that it had been quickly established that the woman had found who she was looking for. And of course, since it was Porom, there was no way she was going to refuse a plea for help, which quickly deflated any anticipation of drama. When she reached the woman, she gently laid a hand on her arm, offering a kind smile and swallowing back the self-important doubt that had been rising in her throat.

"Please…show me the way. It's going to be all right."

* * *

"Ahhhhhhh…AHH!"

Leonora's yawn could have blown the roof off of the Tower of Prayer – she clamped her hand over her mouth about five seconds too late, quickly whirling around to make sure no one behind her had witnessed her momentarily lapse of discretion. Luckily for her, the hallway seemed utterly abandoned – she supposed it was late, after all.

 _Poor Porom,_ she thought as she stepped through the threshold of their bedroom and closed the door behind her, idly flicking her wrist toward the sconces on her side of the room so that they burst to life with a Fire spell. A blanket of warm, flickering light washed over her, and she took a moment to close the drapes over both Porom's window and her own so that she was completely guarded from the starless night sky. _I hope things are taking a positive turn for that sweet child – I wish there was something I could do._

The news about the sick child in the village had spread through the tower like wildfire as soon as his distraught mother had chased down the nearest mage to find the whereabouts of Porom. Luckily, several of the senior aides had assumed there was only one place in the village their fearless leader would make a beeline to when she was starving, and had sent the woman on her way immediately. Several others had taken to the village to help search for Porom in case their guess had been incorrect. This had all happened while Leonora was shaking the sand out of her dress in the rear courtyard, so she was shocked to find when she came back inside that the tower had suddenly seemed so much emptier and that she was left behind.

Not that there was much she _could_ do, she supposed – she was exhausted from the cumulative events of the day, and had found herself falling asleep in the pile of the books she had ended up gathering in the library even before she had made it half-way through the first one. Dinner had been delayed due to the emergency in the village, so she figured she may as well take care of her business before the tower became inundated with busybodies hooked on the adrenaline of seeking Porom out.

One of her finds at the library had been a copy of the book Porom was reading at the beach – she had secretly sworn to herself that she was going to catch up to Porom so that the next time they had some time together, they would have a lot to talk about – but that wasn't the book she had ended up paging through the most that night.

 _Oh gods_ , Leonora thought, her cheeks erupting into a blush just thinking about how she had sequestered herself away in the furthest, darkest corner of the library just so that no one would pay her any mind as she had started her meticulous browsing. Her efforts to hide had been mostly for naught, as she was the only one in the building save for the librarian himself, and he was hardly paying any attention to her as he was mostly ensconced in his wine and furiously composed memos ( _what would a librarian have to be so frantic about writing so late in the evening?_ , Leonora had wondered), but she had still been terrified someone would spot her – and ask the innocent question of what it was she was hoping to find, to which she would probably end up stuttering an incomprehensible answer and end up throwing herself out a window.

 _I heard about all the books the girls who were less…serious about our epopt training like to read during our precious few hours of being left to ourselves each week. Troia was full of stuff like that…there was a reason why the King's Bounty Pub thrived in that city and why so many beautiful girls wanted to work there…you'd live like a queen if you knew just what to do to drive the boys crazy, and those books seemed to be the texts from which they all became pupils._

She had only half-paid attention most of the time when any conversations like that happened to occur in a space she was occupying – and though the girls were respectful enough of her shyness not to try to draw out any salacious secrets about her that simply didn't exist, it didn't mean they kept quiet about their own conquests just because she was sitting there. She could feel herself blushing again just thinking about how it had been one of those discussions that had been burned into her mind that had eventually spurred her to try her (utterly disastrous) plan to play dress-up for the disinterested Palom.

She had remembered _some_ of the book titles they had discussed, and had even been able to find two of them in the stacks tonight. It had been a ten-minute debate with her already thoroughly-guilty conscious to even get herself to crack one of them open, but once she had, and realized it was a rather detailed tome with plenty of supplemental illustrations, it was as if her fingers had become covered in glue – when she lifted her hand from the page, it miraculously turned to reveal the next, and instantly her hand would clamp back down upon the book to provide a tiny privacy shield while she absorbed what came next.

It was no wonder those girls had always seemed so much livelier and more mature than her when their discussion turned to more…carnal subjects – the passages she had scanned left little to the imagination, and the sketches all but guaranteed even the most obtuse reader would understand every last detail.

Banishing her harried escape from the library from her memory, she dropped off the only book she had been willing to check out onto her desk – the magic book Porom had been reading – and kicked away her slippers from her feet as she rounded the rice paper room divider, sliding open the door of her wardrobe with a long, dramatic creak (it seemed that no matter how many times that hinge was oiled, it still acted fussy). She proceeded to shrug out of her now sand-free pinafore, hunching her bony shoulders until she could shimmy her arms out of the straps and lift the dress up and over her head. Swiping a hanger from the wardrobe, she slid the dress on it in one fluid motion, nesting it back into its proper place and reaching next for her pajamas. Once she had freed them, she gently latched the wardrobe shut and made her way over to her bed, having little fear that anyone would walk in on her changing. It had sounded like Porom was in for a long night, and might not even come home.

She stepped into her silken pants; the style described to her as "harem" by the seamstress at the shop she had originally purchased them from back in Troia. They were light and comfy, billowing around her slightly sunburned legs, tapered at the ankles, and cinched at the waist by an ivory ribbon. As she adjusted the ribbon, which she could have easily done by memory, she found her eyes drifting upward to her dresser mirror, her cheeks reddening as she took in her naked from the waist-up body.

It was true that while she was training as an Epopt in Troia that modesty was a very powerful value that was instilled in candidates right from day one of training – bathing in Mysidia still gave her a mild heart attack every time she had to wrap herself up in a towel like a mummy, but she could at least be assured that was the only time a day she would feel so exposed – in Troia, she had lived, dined, and slept beside her fellow candidates in some capacity nearly all hours of the day, so any expectation of privacy was non-existent. If she were changing in front of others, she had devised a method to do it so stealthily that she would have been recruited by Edge to join his ninjutsu clan had he ever been given the opportunity to bear witness. (Ironically, it never occurred to her that just showing up naked would have been enough to get her a job, should the whole Sage thing not work out – her friends had made an effort to preserve her innocence and hide Edge's reputation when it came to her reverence and respect for all the royalty she had met during the war.) As a result, she had made it a habit to rarely take the time to regard even her own body – a second lost doing that meant a second more she wasn't being "modest".

But after her encounter with Porom at the beach and the passages she had read in the library tonight, suddenly Leonora felt slightly (only slightly) less embarrassed about trying to understand what it was about her that had made Porom act so…uninhibited in her arms. When Porom had whispered that she couldn't tell Leonora what it was she needed, and then had pulled away, it had made something inside of her burst, like a live volcano – but it had also confused the hell out of her.

She gingerly swept her beach and braid-wavy hair over one shoulder, shivering slightly despite the windows being tightly shut and locking out the unusually cool night air. She left her hands wrapped in her hair, arms mid-air, as she quietly observed how her chest rose and fell with each delicate breath exhaled through her nose. When she had seen Porom leaning over her in that black bathing suit, it had taken every ounce of her self-control to not immediately tear it off and free the beauty contained within, though she would have hardly known what to do next, had that happened. Instead, she had settled with just the sensation of feeling Porom pour into her hands like a waterfall, the warmth that soaked into her fingertips spreading throughout the whole of her body, the shape and texture of her lover's skin transforming before her eyes. She pictured that again now, replaying it over and over in a slow, sensual loop in her mind.

She had read what that meant in the books tonight. When that had happened to Leonora, it had only been because she had been cold. It was possible Porom had been cold, nearly exposed on the beach like that – but most likely not.

 _Compared to Porom, I don't have much to offer,_ Leonora thought, combing her fingers through her hair nervously before lowering them to her own breasts, her fingertips gingerly brushing over each swell. They, like the rest of her, were petite and proportional to her size, barely a handful. There had never been a time in her life where she had needed a bra, though she had several just in case, most of them unpacked after her move from Troia to Mysidia. It wasn't at all like she had experienced on the beach today – abundance, warmth, the insatiable urge to run her mouth over hardened bare skin. She had been only millimeters of stretched-thin fabric away from taking an irrevocable advance in their fledgling intimacy, and she felt both terrified and elated that Porom had seemed to want that too. She had been begging, hadn't she? Maybe not with words, but the way she was arching her body into Leonora's when they were kissing…

Much to Leonora's surprise, when she moved her hands away from her body, she saw that like Porom, her touch had transformed her as if by magic. A delicate flush of pink had flooded her chest, her skin tight and at attention, twin teardrops of ivory. Her eyes darting guiltily toward the door, she suddenly had a change of heart about being so confident in her roommate's schedule for the evening. Before she could stop herself, she raced to the door, twisting the key that was stuck in the lock hastily and with far too much force, only releasing her breath when she heard the confirming "click" that it was locked. She stared at the door, bewildered, for a few beats, the peaks of pink that had entranced her catching the corner of her eye as she tried to calm her erratic breathing.

Backing away from the door, she spun back around to her mirror, her cheeks as flushed as the rest of her. It was vain, but…she combed her hair with her fingers again so that it splayed over her shoulders, the shorter curls in the front just barely cascading over her breasts now that they were swollen and eager, and thought to herself: _Maybe Porom will want more of me after all. She hasn't asked me yet…but maybe…_

Slightly relaxed after having the assurance of the locked door and the "backup" of tossing her pajama shirt on that was right next to her on the bed if she heard the latch start to rattle, she felt the muscles in her shoulders unclench as she lifted her hands again, seizing the opportunity to further get to know herself after many long years of purposeful neglect. She told herself that it was all for Porom – that if she was going to be kind enough to allow Leonora to use her to figure out what was going on with the tempest of confusion about her feelings that whirled inside, that she needed to make a better effort to understand what it was Porom was getting out of this, too. She intricately pinched herself and whimpered out loud – Porom hadn't been lying – it _did_ hurt. But her skin had only gotten pinker and more prominent as a result, which somehow overrode the pain and enticed her do it again, harder this time.

 _Porom…_ Leonora drew a breath, dismissing the flames she had summoned in the sconces with a wave of her free hand. Before she could comprehend what she was doing, she felt herself fall onto her bed, the mattress barely shifting beneath her as she rolled onto the forgotten top half of her pajamas and brought her hands back to her chest, arching her back. After a few quiet minutes of picturing Porom's hands in place of her own and enjoying the rush of pleasure crawling down the length of her abdomen, she recalled the last set of passages she had read in the book before she had forced herself to flee from the library – details that even the girls back in Troia had usually skimmed over in the stories about their adventures – and now Leonora understood why. It was less obvious, less outward, than anything they had been trying to succeed with when it came to the boys they pursued.

But as soon as Leonora had read about it, she had shivered all over in recognition of the experience for herself – the spill of warmth, the painful longing – Porom had already drawn it out of her, and she suspected, somewhere deep in the most selfish, tawdry part of her heart, that perhaps she had done the same for Porom, too.

Sliding her left hand down the length of her body while the right hand languidly kneaded her goose pimpled flesh, Leonora closed her eyes, plunging herself into total darkness as her wandering hand easily slid beneath the waistband of her pants and her underclothes. She hadn't needed to venture much further to confirm what it was she already knew – what she had felt blossoming the moment she had recalled Porom's skin melting in her hands.

* * *

To be continued in part 4.


End file.
